Gingerbread Cookies (Holland America)

6 cups of flour

1 cup of butter

1 cup of brown sugar

1 cup of molasses

1/2 cup of milk

1 egg

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1 teaspoon of ginger, ground

1 teaspoon of nutmeg, ground

1 teaspoon of cloves, ground

1 teaspoon of cinnamon, ground

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Sift together the flour, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon; set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, molasses, brown sugar, milk, egg, and vanilla until smooth. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients until they are completely absorbed. Divide dough into 3 pieces, pat down to 1 1/2 inch thickness, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 inch apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 F for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. When the cookies are done, they will look dry but still be soft to the touch. Remove from the baking sheet to cool on wire racks. When cool, the cookies can be frosted with the icing of your choice.