Festive Gingerbread Cookies

To turn these cookies into decorations for your tree, use a straw to puncture a small hole in the top part of each unbaked cookie. The hole should be big enough to hold a silk ribbon. Wait until the cookies are cool before you loop the ribbon through the hole.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup lightly salted butter
1/2 cup molasses
1 large egg



Decorations (dried currants, chopped pistachios, cinnamon candies, or colored sprinkles)

Icing

1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons skim milk
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Food coloring (optional)

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine flours, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and baking soda. Whisk until well blended and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat granulated sugar and butter for 5 minutes. Add molasses and egg; beat until smooth. Stir in the flour mixture. Divide dough into two flattened disks and seal in plastic wrap. Refrigerate dough for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil (shiny side down). On a floured surface, roll out one disk of dough at a time until it's about 1/8 inch thick. Cut into shapes and transfer to prepared baking sheet, 1 inch apart. Decorate with currants, nuts, candies, or sprinkles. Bake 8 minutes. Let cool slightly, then place on a wire rack to cool completely before icing.

Icing

In a medium bowl, blend confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla. Divide into smaller bowls and tint with food coloring, if desired.

Spread icing onto cookies, or put into a heavy-duty plastic bag with a tiny hole snipped in one corner to pipe onto cookies.