Gingerbread Kids

This is the best gingerbread cookie dough I have ever tried and believe me I have done this many many times. This is an adaptation of the Martha Stewart recipe for gingerbread kids found on her site.
The dough is super easy to work with and rolls easily and transfers easily.......Which....if you have ever done cut out cookies you can't get up is a big, big deal. I can't stress enough how impressed I was with the ease of handling with these cookies. Also I put a piece of dough the size of the end of my thumb through my garlic press to make hair for my kids and it did just great too. 

I didn't want to get into messing with the pastry bag and real fussy decorations for these. I am sending just a very few to Indy for the twins to put on their tree and simplicity is the key here.

Here is what you need:
1 C. butter at room temperature
1 C. firmly packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 C. unsulfured molasses
2 1/4 t. cinnamon
2 t. ginger
1 t. allspice
1 t. soda
1/4 t. salt
4 C. flour + more for dusting
items for decorations

Using a large bowl beat the butter and sugar on high speed for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Add egg and mix well. Beat in molasses, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, soda, and salt. At low speed, add flour a cup at a time until it is all incorporated.

Divide the dough into fourths and shape each into a disk wrapping it well in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. On a lightly floured surface roll disks to 1/8" thick. Flour cookie cutters and cut cookies. Place on parchment covered baking sheets about 1" apart. With remaining dough you may roll and cut additional cookies and discs and so forth to use as decorations for cloths or jewelry. Dress the cookies and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Bake for 7 minutes. Turn the pan and bake for 6 more minutes. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes then remove to rack to finish cooling and decorating with chips or candies or icing.