Aimee's Gingerbread Cookies

Aimee's Gingerbread Cookies

Sift Dry Ingredients together:

 3 Cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbl ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

Mix wet ingredients together in large mixing bowl:

6 Tbl butter, softened
3/4 Cup dark brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 Cup molasses
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest (optional)

Add dry to wet, incorporate until it forms a ball of dough.
Wrap in plastic wrap, then put in gallon size Ziploc bag.
Store in refrigerator overnight or at least 3 hours to chill dough.  (Don't skip this step.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Flour your surface, knead chilled dough (don't bring it to room temp, just begin working with it).  Roll out dough, cut with cookie cutters, place on parchment-lined cookie sheet; bake for 10 min. or until edges become brown.  Cool on cookie rack.  Frost with royal icing and sprinkles.