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At tonight’s 4H meeting, we will be having a cookie decorating contest. Even though I like to cook, I am not a huge fan of making cookie dough that has to rest in the refrigerator before using. It simply takes too much time. When an old friend offered me her mother’s Gingerbread Cookie Sculpture recipe, I had to give it a try. She explained that it makes a dough that acts like play-dough and can be shaped before baking. Surprisingly, the dough retains its shape and doesn’t melt into a blob.

Gingerbread Cookie Play-Dough
By Kathleen Poer

5 ½ c. flour
3 t. baking soda
1 ¾ c. dark brown sugar
¼ c. dark molasses
4 ½ t. ground cinnamon
3 t. ground ginger
½ t. cloves
¼ t. salt
1 c. melted butter
½ c. boiling water
1 egg, beaten

1. Combine flour and baking soda. Set aside.
2. In large bowl mix sugar, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt.
3. Add butter, egg and water.
4. Beat until sugar dissolves. Gradually stir in flour mixture.
5. Mix to form stiff dough. Cover or use immediately.
6. If not using the dough right away, you may refrigerate for up to two days or freeze.
7. Bring dough to room temperature before shaping.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-20 minutes depending on thickness of cookies.

Optional:  Instead of combining the spices above, you can use an equal amount of pumpkin pie spice.  My cloves were too old to grind, so this is what we did and it tasted great!