Gingerbread Cookies

In a 3-quart saucepan, heat molasses, margarine and brown sugar until mixture boils, stirring occasionally to blend well. Remove from heat; cool. In a large bowl, combine the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and nutmeg. Blend egg into molasses mixture. With spoon, stir molasses mixture into flour mixture until smooth. Wrap dough in plastic wrap; chill for one hour or more until the dough is hard enough to work with. 

Divide dough into parts. Working with one part at a time, on a floured surface, roll the dough to 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch in thickness. (Put one chop stick on each side of the dough for a constant thickness.) Cut with a floured gingerbread cutter and place on a non-stick cookie sheet. (Experiment with a very lightly greased aluminum sheet to prevent sticking.) Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 14 minutes. Cool on wire rack*. 

*Press decorative candies into dough before it cools completely.  

Using your electric mixer, cream the butter or shortening, sugar, baking soda, salt, and spices until light and fluffy.

Add molasses and beat until blended. Mix in the water (or apple cider). 

Stir in flour, one cup at a time until the dough is stiff and makes a ball; chill hours or overnight.

Roll out small amounts of dough on a floured board to a thickness of between 1/8 and 1/4 inches. Cut out cookies with cutter and, with cutter still in place, transfer cookie and cutter with a pancake turner to a lightly greased baking sheet; then lift off the cutter. Insert a short length of straw into each cookie near the top to make a hole for hanging. Dip raisins in egg white and press them firmly into the dough to make buttons. Move the arms and legs to animate the figures.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove the cookies from the baking sheet and remove straws; cool on wire racks. When cool, draw faces on the cookies with your favorite frosting using a pastry tube. Tie a ribbon through the hole for hanging.