How to make "gingie" gingerbread cookies

Here's some of the ingredients that we used.

First you want to get your 1/3 cup of shortening into the mixer bowl.

In it goes :)

Then you will add your 1 1/2 cups of molasses to that bowl as well.

Next you need to put in your 1 cup of dark brown sugar to the bowl.

Pack it first though ;)

Add it in.

Ta-da! Lol :)

Now you can get your 6 cups of flour sifted into a seperate bowl.

There goes one cup, then two, etc...make sure each cup gets sifted before adding another one.

Sifting...

Sifting...

When you get to your 6th cup of flour, Add in your 2 teaspoons soda...

Add your 1 teaspoon of salt also to the flour...

Then your 1 teaspoon of allspice...

1 teaspoon of ginger...

1 teaspoon of cloves..

And finally the 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.

Sift all those spices in with the remaining flour.

Now it's time to add the sifted flour, gradually, into the mixer bowl.

Add about a 1/3 of a cup of sifted flour at a time, with a little cold water also, and make sure the flour gets incorporated each time.

Adding water in this pic...

More flour is going in now and look at the thickening happening! Ooh...ahhhh ;)

It's really getting like cookie dough now!

More flour and more mixing...

Getting it all incorporated...

Switching out the paddle on the mixer for the dough hook now...it's too thick to mix with the paddle.

Cleaning off the paddle...

Putting the dough hook on..

Adding more water...to keep it moist but not too wet. Use your own discretion.

The hook in the dough.

Use a spatula to get the sides as the dough hook can't do this very efficiently.

Pour all remaining flour in and mix.

Now you need to take your dough out of the mixer bowl and put it into another bowl so it can be refrigerated.

Cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Okay so you can take your dough out of the fridge the next day and get your dough out and onto a cutting board or counter. Put flour down first to help it not to stick.

Then take your rolling pin out and flatten to about an inch in thickness.

See how thick it's rolled out to? :)

Then take a glass that has a good width and cut your cookies out, or use a biscuit cutter if you like ;)

This is how big one is.

Now place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. No more than 6 cookies per sheet as they tend to puff up.

Put them into a preheated 350f oven and set for 12 minutes, then check them for doneness.

After about 12 minutes, we checked them and they weren't quite there yet. We added about 3 more minutes just to make sure. You don't want them too doughy in the middle ;)

Perfection!!! If only I could capture this amazingly wonderful aroma wafting all through my house and put it into this guide for you :)))

So now that you have the cookies baked, they definitely need something...frosting!!!

For the frosting, first put your 3 cups of powdered sugar into the mixer bowl. My pictures will reflect a doubling of this frosting recipe, so it will look like more ;)

Then add to that your 1/3 cup softened butter.

Then comes the 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla.

Mix it up...

Add your 3 tbsp milk or cream..

And this is the consistency you should have!

Get your frosting separated out into separate bowls for colors.

Also get your sprinkles ready...

And Voila!!!! Gingie cookie of Awesomeness :)