Here’s My Heart Gingerbread Pals

 

1/4

cup light molasses

2

tablespoons water

2/3

cup butter or margarine

1/2

cup packed brown sugar

1

egg

2 1/4

cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1

teaspoon ground ginger

1

teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2

teaspoon baking soda

1/2

teaspoon salt

1/4

teaspoon ground cloves

4

oz vanilla-flavored candy coating (almond bark)

4

teaspoons red decorating sugar

• 1 In 3-quart saucepan, cook and stir molasses and water over medium heat until hot; remove from heat. Stir in butter and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients except candy coating and decorating sugar. Divide dough in half; shape into 2 disks. Wrap each in plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 hour.
• 2 Heat oven to 350°F. On floured surface, roll 1 disk of dough 1/8 inch thick. Cut with floured 3- to 3 1/2-inch gingerbread boy and girl cookie cutters. With 1-inch heart-shaped cutter, cut out small heart in center of each cookie. On 1 ungreased cookie sheet, place gingerbread cutouts. On second ungreased cookie sheet, place hearts. Repeat with second disk.
• 3 Bake hearts 5 to 7 minutes, gingerbread cookies 7 to 9 minutes, or until set. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.
• 4 In small microwavable bowl, microwave candy coating on High 1 minute; stir until smooth. Frost each heart with coating; immediately sprinkle with red sugar. Place dot of melted coating on back of heart; place on hand of each gingerbread cookie or near cutout heart on body of cookie. Decorate as desired.