Gingerbread People Cookies - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter or 1/4 cup margarine, softened
1/2 cup molasses
1 large egg white
cooking spray
2 tablespoons dried currants
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.
Combine the flour and next 7 ingredients (flour through cloves) in a bowl, and set aside.
Combine granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer 5 minutes.
Add molasses and egg white; beat well.
Add flour mixture to sugar mixture; beat at low speed until well-blended.
Divide dough in half, and shape each half into a ball, and wrap in plastic wrap.
Chill 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350\u00b0.
Working with 1 half of dough at a time (keep remaining half chilled until ready to use), roll the dough to a 1/8-inch thickness on a heavily floured surface; cut with a 2 1/2-inch boy or girl cookie cutter.
Place gingerbread cookies 1 inch apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray.
Arrange currants on cookies as buttons.
Bake at 350\u00b0 for 8 minutes.
Remove from pans; cool on wire racks.
Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla in a small bowl.
Spoon into a decorating bag or a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag with a tiny hole snipped in 1 corner of bag, and decorate as desired.