Soft & Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

These Gingerbread Cookies are so moist and delicious! Made with Coconut Oil instead of butter;) They will be gobbled up in no time!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 12 tablespoons coconut oil! Yes - that's my secret ingredient;) It's usually firm when stored in the fridge.....and sometimes even when it's not. 
  
• 3/4 cup molasses
• 2 tablespoons milk
  

 ICING Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Confectioner's Sugar
  
• 4 tsp coconut, almond or regular milk 
  
• 4 tsp light corn syrup
  
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
  
• gel food coloring
  

Directions:

• In the bowl of a food processor fitted with steel blade, process flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt, and baking soda until combined, about 10 seconds. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture and process until mixture is sandy and resembles very fine meal, about 15 seconds. With food processor running, add molasses and milk; process until dough is evenly moistened and forms soft mass, about 10 seconds.
  
• Divide dough in half and roll into ¼ inch thickness between two sheets of parchment paper. Place in refrigerator at least two hours (or overnight) or place in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes, until firm.
• Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Once firm, remove parchment from dough and cut out cookies using a 5-inch gingerbread man or 3-inch gingerbread cookies. Place on prepared baking sheets spacing cookies 1 inch apart. Bake until centers are just set and dough barely retains imprint when touched very gently with fingertip, 8 to 11 minutes. Rotating the baking sheets halfway through. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets about 2 minutes; using a wide metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Decorate as desired with icing.
• Gather scraps; repeat rolling, cutting, and baking in steps 2 and 4. Repeat with remaining dough until all dough is used.
  

ICING DIRECTIONS:

1. In a small bowl, stir together confectioner's sugar and milk until smooth, adding a few more drops of milk if necessary.
   
2. Beat in corn syrup & extract until smooth and glossy.  If it's too thick, add more corn syrup.
   
3. Separate into several small ramekins if using different colors of gel. Add you gel until you get the desired colors to decorate!
   
4. HAVE FUN by spreading with your fingers, a popsicle stick, brush or piping bag. I used a toothpick to drag into fun designs in the picture above. 
   

Recipe Note:if you want really hot and spicy gingerbread men you can add up to ¼ cup ground ginger.

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