Gingerbread Straws recipe

56 servings

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup molasses

1/4 cup water

12 tablespoons softened butter

1 cup light or dark brown sugar, firmly packed

1/4 cup granulated sugar

Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt and baking soda in a bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix molasses and water.

In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar with a hand mixer until light and fluffy.

Beat in molasses mixture, then dry ingredients, to form stiff dough; if dough is sticky, add up to 1/4 cup more flour.

Quarter the dough, form each portion into a disc, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

(Can be refrigerated up to 1 week or frozen up to 1 month.

)Heat oven to 350 degrees.

On a heavily floured work surface, roll 1 portion of dough into a 9-by-7-inch rectangle.

Sprinkle dough with 1 Tb.

sugar; use rolling pin to press sugar into dough.

Cut dough (preferably with a fluted-edge pastry cutter) into 9-by-1/2-inch sticks.

Place sticks about 1/2-inch apart on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake on middle rack until done, 18 to 22 minutes; after 10 minutes, rotate sheet from back to front.

Repeat with remaining dough in batches.