The Gingerbread Man

.... You can't catch me.... I'm the Gingerbread Man.

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OK. So I've always baked Gingerbread cookies with my children, every Christmas for years & years. Then, suddenly, they were too old and too busy.

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So I borrowed children. Almost rented them. "Help me!" I begged, "Help me make my Gingerbread men for Christmas." & they would usually help.

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This year, I got my 3 year old grandbaby to help, so it was cool. My sister in law requested these cookies for Christmas at her house this year.

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Here's my FAMOUS Gingerbread recipe:

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1 c butter, softened

1 c sugar

1/4 c water

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 c molasses

5 c flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 Tbsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. allspice

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

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Beat butter & sugar @ medium speed til fluffy. In a separate bowl, stir together 1/4 c water and soda til dissolved. Stir in molasses. In a separate bowl, combine flour & next 4 ingredients. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately with molasses mixture, beginning & ending with flour. Shape into a ball. Cover, chill for 1 hr. Roll out, SHAPE with Cookie Cutters and cook on wax paper on pan. 350 degrees 12-15 minutes. Cool, then decorate.