Hard Gingerbread Dough for Crafts

Gingerbread dough can be used to make ornaments to hang or put in baskets that look and smell like real cookies. They are made with normal ingredients, but bake up rock hard and keep and smell great for years. Use gingerbread dough and your favorite cookie cutters to make gingerbread man garlands, gingerbread ornaments and houses.
  • 3 T. shortening
  • 1/2 c. sugar
  • 1/2 c. molasses
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 3 1/2 c. flour
  • 1 tsp. each: ground cloves, ginger and cinnamon
  • 3/4 c. water

Beat the shortening and sugar together until light and fluffy; stir in the molasses. Sift the dry ingredients together. Stir them into the shortening mixture in 3 parts alternating with a 1/4 cup of water each time. The dough will be stiff. Refrigerate it overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the dough into 3 pieces. Knead to warm it slightly and roll each piece out about 1/4-inch thick. Cut cookies out with a gingerbread pattern of your choice.

Use a drinking straw to punch a hole if the ornament will be hanging. Place the cookies on a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes; turn the oven off and let the gingerbread cool in the oven.

Remove the gingerbread from the cookie sheet and place it on a rack to dry for about 3 days to totally harden. These cookies are purely for decorative purposes and are not to be eaten! If you wish, you can seal cookies with 3 coats of clear acrylic and decorate them with colorful acrylic paints when they are dry.

  • Preparation Time: 1 hour plus refrigeration and drying time
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