Gingerbread Christmas Ornaments Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Beat shortening and sugar together in a large bowl. Stir in molasses.
• Sift baking soda, ground cloves, ginger, cinnamon and flour together in a large bowl. Stir this mixture plus water into the sugar and shortening mixture, alternately adding the water and baking soda mixture to the shortening mixture.
• Stir until mixed thoroughly and refrigerate 6-8 hours.
• Cut dough into three equal pieces, knead each piece lightly and then use a rolling pin to roll out each piece to a 1/4-inch thickness.
• Use holiday cookie cutters made in the shapes of gingerbread people and houses to cut shapes out of the dough.
• Use a medium- to large-sized drinking straw or the end of a wooden chopstick to make a hole at the top of each shape. *Tip: make sure to really make a sizable hole (bigger than you think you need), as these do puff up in the cooking process, making the hole shrink.
• Put cookies on cookie sheets and bake for about 20 minutes. Turn oven off and allow cookies to cool in the oven. This will help harden the cookies.
• Place cookies on racks to completely harden. Place racks in a cool, dry place and let sit for two to three days.
• Coat cookies with clear acrylic or varnish and allow cookies to dry thoroughly.
• Paint cookies with acrylic paints as desired. Allow paint to dry thoroughly.
• Thread a 5- to 6-inch length of narrow ribbon or cording through the hole at the top of each ornament. You may have to use a toothpick to chip a little bit of cookie out of the hole if it has closed up a bit, before threading with ribbon. Knot ends and hang ornaments.

Steps:

• Cream together shortening and sugar until light and fluffy; stir in molasses.
• Sift dry ingredients together, then stir into the shortening mixture in 3 parts, alternating with 1/4 cup water each time.
• Dough will be stiff.
• Refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cut the dough into 3 pieces and knead to warm slightly then roll out each piece about 1/4-inch thick.
• Cut into desired shapes; use a straw to make a hole at the top if you're making an ornament.
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.
• Remove to cooling rack and let dry about 3 days.
• Decorate as desired.