Gingerbread Squares

Gingerbread has got to be one of my type of favorite cookies, with a side of creamy 3% milk. When making this Martha Stewart recipe, I slightly adjusted the amount of spice that I added. I halved the recipe but doubled the ginger just because I especially like a spicy gingerbread cookie.

Ingredients ( Gingerbread Cookies from Martha Stewart Magazine, Special Issue; Holiday Cookies. 2001)

3 cups flour
.5 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 pound (1 stick of butter)  at room temperature
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
4 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp finely ground black pepper
1 large egg
1/2 cup molasses

In a large bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy. Add the spices, egg, and molasses, mix to combine. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda mix until combined. Divide the dough in half and chill for 1 hour.

Pre-heat the oven to 350*f.  Line several baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Remove the cookie dough fro the fridge and let stand for a few minutes. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick.  place the rolled out dough on a piece of parchment paper and place in the freezer for about 15 minutes to chill and become firm.

Cut the dough using whatever shaped cookie cutter your heart desires or use a fluted pastry wheel  to cut the dough into squares as I did. Bake on the lined baking sheets for 8 minutes, and not a minute more! or they will burn, as did my first batch
Let the cookies cool on a wire rack before transferring to an airtight container.