So Zooey and I made them again last week while we watched Shaun of the Dead. She took half to her school and I took the rest to mine, and again, everyone loved them. Especially how cute they were.
They're adorable as they are tasty. When I asked some friends if I should make snickerdoodles, shortbread, or these gingerbread skeletons again, they all voted on the gingerbread. I love when my baking's this appreciated :)
Icing them was super easy, albeit a little time consuming. Just stuff some royal icing into Ziploc sandwich bags and cut off a tiny corner and away you go!
We're going to tackle these again as a group, but try to make them look like zombies for a movie marathon we're doing.
Gingerbread Skeletons (yields about 7 dozen)
via Better Homes and Gardens: Christmas Cookies
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup molasses
2 tbsp lemon juice
1. In a medium bowl stir together flours, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, nutmeg, salt, and cloves; set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar; beat until fluffy. Beat in egg until mixture is light. Beat in molasses and lemon juice on low speed until combined. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour mixture.
3. Divide dough in half. Cover and chill at least 3 hours or until dough is easy to handle.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll half of the dough at a time to 1/8-inch thickness. Using cookie cutters, cut out dough. Place 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
5. Bake in a 350 degrees oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer to wire rack; cool.
Note: don't worry if some of the cookies turn out a little hard, within a few hours of icing them they'll be magically, deliciously chewy.
Royal Icing
2 large egg whites
2 tsp lemon juice
3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
In a bowl with your electric mixer (or hand mixer), beat the egg whites with the lemon juice. Add the sifted confectioners' sugar and beat on low speed until all combined and smooth. The icing needs to be used immediately or transferred to an airtight container, as royal icing hardens when exposed to air. Cover with plastic wrap when not in use.
