Sugar And Spice Cookies

I've broken out the Christmas cookie cutters. It's officially the Christmas season now! I've been collecting possible Christmas worthy cookie recipes for a few weeks now. It's hard work trying and tasting recipes but someone has to do it. This recipe is definitely a winner!
These cookies taste like what would happen if a sugar cookie and a gingerbread man had a love child. They have the sweet crispness of a sugar cookie and just the right amount of spice without being as intense as a true gingerbread cookie. I'll definitely be making these again before Christmas.
These cookies would be great decorated with royal icing and pretty sprinkles but I chose to sprinkle some of them with a little coarse raw sugar.

I have the tiniest Christmas tree cookie cutter. It's about an inch tall. I love cutting out little baby cookies.

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On a non-cookie note, I'm so excited to be rid of my deep blue stoneware dishes! My Mom and Mark gave us their Corelle Ware and Wedgewood. Thanks you guys!!! What a difference it makes to have a white background when taking pictures of food. Someone was more then happy to pick up my old dishes after I listed them for free on Craigslist.

Sugar And Spice Cookies (Dairy-free substitutions in blue)

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1/2 cup butter, softened (Earth Balance)
1/2 cup lard (or butter/Earth Balance)

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

3/4 tsp. salt

1 egg

3 Tbsp. molasses

3 cups flour (I used 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry and 1 1/2 cups All-Purpose)

3 Tbsp. cornstarch

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In a medium bowl, cream together butter, lard, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add baking powder, spices, salt, molasses, vanilla, and egg until well combined. Add the flour and cornstarch and mix until the dough comes together. Divide the dough in half, flattening each ball and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for an hour (or longer).

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Preheat oven to 350*.

Roll out the dough to about 1/8"-1/4" thickness on a lightly floured surface. The thinner the cookie, the crisper it will be. Cut with cookie cutters and arrange on a parchment lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with coarse sugar, if you like, before baking.

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Bake cookies in a 350* oven until just slightly browned around the edges, about 10 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 2 minutes to set up. Transfer them to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

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Makes about 3-4 dozen 3" cookies or a TON of tiny little baby ones

**These freeze very well after they're baked and cooled completely. After they thaw, they're just as crisp as fresh cookies.**