Good old fashioned Gingerbread cookie dough perfect for making Gingerbread Men, Gingerbread Houses or delightful Ginger Snaps. When the kids were little we used to have Gingerbread House Parties every year. The kids are grown and have left home now but I still use this recipe to the delight of my students at Christmas!

1 cup packed Brown Sugar
1/3 cup Shortening
1 1/2 cups Dark Molasses
2/3 cup Cold Water
7 cups Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
2 teaspoons Ground Ginger
1 teaspoon Ground Allspice
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Ground Cloves
1/2 teaspoon Salt

Frosting and Decorations
4 cups Icing Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
4 – 5 Tablespoons Milk
Food Colouring Paste, if desired

Combine icing sugar, vanilla and milk to right consistency in a large mixing bowl and stir until smooth and glossy.
Divide into smaller bowls and add food colouring, if desired.

Preheat oven to 350F.
Lightly spray baking sheet with vegetable oil spray.
In medium mixing bowl combine flour, spices and salt.
In large bowl, beat brown sugar, shortening, molasses and water with electric mixer, on medium speed.
With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture a cup at a time, mixing well after the first 3 additions.
Switch out paddle attachment for dough hook and add remaining flour mixture.
Stir on low speed until the dough comes together.

I scoop out about 1/3 of the dough, onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead it, form it into a disc then roll dough out to 1/4″ (6mm) thick.
Cut with floured gingerbread cutter or other shapes.
Place cookies on prepared baking sheet, 2″ (5cm) apart.
Bake 8 – 10 minutes or until no indentation remains when touched.
Immediately remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.
Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Frost or pipe borders around Gingerbread Men and decorate with raisins, chocolate chips and candies.

Yield: About 36 Cookies

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip cookies have to be one of my absolute favourite cookies! They are the perfect cookie for our house because my husband loves Choc Chippers and I love Peanut Butter cookies!

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup peanut butter
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 generous teaspoon Vanilla
3 cups flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
a pinch of salt
2 1/2 cups Milk Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 360F
Prepare baking trays: spray lightly with vegetable oil spray

In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar until well combined.
Add brown sugar and continue creaming for a minute.
Add peanut butter and continue creaming
Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Add Vanilla and cream the whole lot for a few minutes scraping sides and bottom of bowl a couple of times.
Using a wooden spoon or mixing paddle on the mixer, stir in the dry ingredients; pour in milk chocolate chips and continue  stirring until cookie dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.

Using a 2 (or 3) ounce Pampered Chef scoop, scoop out cookie dough onto baking trays allowing room for expansion!
Slightly flatten just using your finger, pushing down  through the middle of the cookie to make a slight indentation.

Bake in preheated 360F oven for 13 to 15 minutes. If baking two trays at a time, rotate mid way through baking time to ensure even browning: top to bottom, bottom to top, front to back.

Remove from oven and let set on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.