Cookies

1. To make Nativity scene, laminate pattern pieces
2. In a large mixing bowl beat together butter and shortening until fluffy. Beat in sugar, baking powder, spices, baking soda and salt until well combined. Add the eggs, molasses and vinegar. Beat again until well combined. Gradually beat in the flour until combined. Cover and chill several hours or until dough is easy to handle.
3. Preheat oven to 375°F.
4. On a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper, roll out dough to ¼-inch thickness. Place pattern pieces on top of dough, at least 1 inch apart. Cut around pattern pieces with a small sharp knife. Remove excess dough. Place on a flat baking sheet (or bottom of a sheet cake pan). Bake for about 9 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and centers are firm. Transfer parchment and cutouts to a rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough and pattern pieces.
5. To display the gingerbread cutouts standing up, make triangle pieces of gingerbread, which will be attached to the backs of the cutouts. To make triangles, roll out a sheet of dough on parchment paper. Use a large sharp knife to cut 2-, 3- and 5-inch-wide squares from the dough then cut (but do not separate) the squares into triangles. (Taller triangles will be attached to taller cutouts and smaller triangles to smaller cutouts.) Bake as above. Recut the triangles after they have baked.
6. Prepare Royal Icing. Keep all bowls of icing covered with plastic wrap when not using. Icing can be prepared in advance and refrigerated.
7. Place about 1 cup of icing in a decorating bag with a small round tip. Set aside for piping. Gradually stir a very small amount of water into remaining icing until consistency of thick paint. If desired, tint some of the icing ivory and some a very light gray using paste food coloring. Using a large, clean artist’s brush, paint the baked gingerbread pieces completely. Set aside for several hours to dry.
8. Using decorating bag, pipe outlines and details onto the buildings, scenes and animal shapes. If desired, sprinkle sanding sugar onto some of the piped icing while icing is still wet. Let decorated gingerbread dry for a couple of hours before displaying
9. To display them standing up, gently lay gingerbread pieces face-down. Attach a triangle gingerbread piece to bottom edge of decorated gingerbread using a good amount of icing. Let dry for about 2 hours. Gingerbread pieces can also be displayed by leaning them against smaller objects, such as cups.
10. Or to make snowflake cookies, preheat oven to 375°F.
11. Roll out dough to 1⁄8-inch thickness. Cut out cookies with snowflake-shaped cutter. Place on floured cookie sheet and bake for 7-8 minutes. Cool. Ice the cookies.

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Royal Icing

1. In a large mixing bowl combine ingredients.  Beat with whisk attachment on low for 1 minute or until combined.
2. Beat on high speed for 5 minutes or until thick and icing forms stiff peaks.
3. Keep covered when not using. Follow directions opposite for dividing and thinning.

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