Cookies: Gingerbread Men

It's that time of year when baking smells so yummy and it's nice to hang out in a toasty kitchen, especially if you can bake with your favorite people.  I am making a bunch of cookies this year, AND going to my FIRST cookie swap.

So here is my first cookie post and there are bound to be more...stay tuned and enjoy them warm from the oven!  When I think of christmas cookies the first one that comes to mind is gingerbread, so here it is, first...

Soft Gingerbread Men and Women (and bats)

from Tried and True Cookies with a few changes

Makes: 3 dozen
Prep: 25 minutes  (+3 hours when letting the dough cool in the fridge)
Cooking: 10 minutes/batch

Ingredients
3/4 c Molasses
1/3 c packed brown sugar
1/3 c water
1/8 c butter, softened
3 1/4 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger

Directions: In a large bowl mix together the molasses, brown sugar, water and butter until smooth.  Add flour, baking soda, allspice, ginger, cloves and cinnamon and stir until all of the dry ingredients are absorbed.  Cover dough and chill for at least 3 hours.  You can make this the day ahead if needed.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  On a lightly floured surface roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness.  Cut into desired shapes.  Place cookies 1 inch apart on un-greased cookie sheets or Silpat.

Bake 8-10 minutes.  Cool on wire racks.

What's better than warm cookies and good friends?

I wish you enough!