Gingerbread Straws
Description
These snappy gingerbread straws add an eye-catching twist to the usual gingerbread cookies.
Ingredients
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3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
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1 tablespoon ground ginger
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2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
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1 teaspoon ground cloves
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1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
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3/4 teaspoon salt
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3/4 teaspoon baking soda
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3/4 cup molasses
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1/4 cup water
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12 tablespoons softened butter
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1 cup light or dark brown sugar, firmly packed
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1/4 cup granulated sugar
Directions
1
Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt and baking soda in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix molasses and water.
2
In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in molasses mixture, then dry ingredients, to form stiff dough; if dough is sticky, add up to 1/4 cup more flour.
3
Quarter the dough, form each portion into a disc, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. (Can be refrigerated up to 1 week or frozen up to 1 month.)
4
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
5
On a heavily floured work surface, roll 1 portion of dough into a 9-by-7-inch rectangle. Sprinkle dough with 1 Tb. sugar; use rolling pin to press sugar into dough. Cut dough (preferably with a fluted-edge pastry cutter) into 9-by-1/2-inch sticks. Place sticks about 1/2-inch apart on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake on middle rack until done, 18 to 22 minutes; after 10 minutes, rotate sheet from back to front. Repeat with remaining dough in batches.