Soft Gingerbread Cookies

"Once upon a time there was a little old woman and a little old man who lived in a little cottage near the river. The little old woman and the little old man were hungry, so the little old woman decided to bake a gingerbread man. She made a big batch of gingerbread dough, then rolled it flat and cut it in the shape of a gingerbread man. She gave him raisins for eyes, a cinnamon drop for a mouth, and chocolate chips for buttons. Then she put the gingerbread man in the over to bake. When the gingerbread man was done, the little old woman opened the oven door, but before she could take him out, the gingerbread man jumped up and ran through the kitchen and out of the cottage shouting, "Don't eat me!" The little old woman ran after the gingerbread man. "Stop!" she yelled. But the gingerbread man ran even faster, chanting, "Run, run as fast as you can. You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man."

Soft Gingerbread Cookies

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup molasses

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

2 teaspoons ground ginger

5 cups flour

In a large bowl, combine butter and brown sugar. Add eggs and molasses. In a separate bowl, combine baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and flour. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until smooth. Separate into thirds and wrap in plastic wrap then chill in the fridge for 2 hours. Roll one section at a time on a well floured surface. Roll between 1/4 to 1/3 inch thick. You may need to use extra flour throughout. Cut-out your cookies (Our favorites are bite size!). Bake at 350 for 10-13 minutes. Test them by lightly touching the tops. They should be soft but not lose their shape.

"Then the gingerbread man reached a wide river, but he didn't know how to swim. A sly and hungry fox saw the gingerbread man and said, "Jump on my tail and I'll take you across the river." The gingerbread man thought to himself, "I'll be safe on his tail." So he jumped on the fox's tail and they started across the river. Halfway across the river the fox barked, "You're too heavy for my tail. Jump on my back." So the gingerbread man jumped on the fox's back. Soon, the fox said, "You're too heavy for my back. Jump onto my nose." So the gingerbread man jumped on the fox's nose. But as soon as they reached the riverbank the flipped the gingerbread man into the air, snapped his mouth shut, and ate the gingerbread man. And that was the end of the gingerbread man."