Gingerbread Cookies

There are two main purposes of this post, though one of the intended ones is not to give you a delicious gingerbread cookie recipe. I'd love it if someone did like the recipe. And I promise this is the last Christmas cookie post!

1. To make you feel good about your cookie decorating skills. I used the "Scribblers" icing pen things and they were not so easy to work with but still.

2. To give you a very molasses-y gingerbread recipe to compare against other gingerbread recipes before deciding whether it's one you want to make or not. If it has as much molasses as this one and you're not a molasses fan, then you'll know to look elsewhere.

I went to an old Betty Crocker cookbook thinking that I might find the perfect gingerbread recipe but no. I tried to cut the molasses flavour by dipping the top part of the cookie in white chocolate. It definitely helped but wasn't quite enough. For the past couple of years I've given out gingerbread cookies as part of the cookie package, but this will definitely be the last year. Gingerbread is one of those unloved cookies but I vow to find a delicious recipe! I know it's out there.

I love the soft chewy ginger molasses cookies (especially the Starbucks ones). I love storebought gingersnaps. But I just need to find good ginger cookie recipes to make at home. I'd like to find one good soft chewy ginger cookie (this one at Baking Bites being a possible contender) and a nice crisp but kind of mild cookie that's gingerbread-meets-sugar-cookie.

Since I don't think that this gingerbread recipe is awesome (but I think you molasses lovers will!), here are some links to delicious treats I've seen at other blogs recently and want to make!
-Cinnamon Apple Scones at Bake or Break
-Peppermint Cookies n' Cream Brownies at Baking Bites
-Lemony Meyer Lemon Curd at Figs with Bri
-Gooey Caramel Bars at Taste and Tell
-Half Whole Wheat Baked Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts at Gigi Cakes (originally from 101 Cookbooks)

Gingerbread Cookies
Adapted from Betty Crocker's Cookbook (1976)

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup water
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon allspice

Cream butter and sugar. Blend in molasses, water, flour, salt, baking soda, ginger, nutmeg and allspice. Cover; chill 2 to 3 hours.

Heat oven to 375F. Roll dough 1/4 inch thick on lightly floured surface. Cut with cookie cutter; place on ungreased baking sheet.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Immediately remove from baking sheet. Cool.