Giant Ginger Cookies Recipe

This is one of my favorite cookie recipes to make during Christmas time.

The recipe was taken from Better Homes and Gardens:


Giant Ginger Cookies
Makes: twenty-five 4-inch cookies
Bake: 12 to 14 minutes per batch


Ingredients
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups shortening
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
3/4 cup coarse sugar or granulated sugar
Directions
1. In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt; set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl beat shortening with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds to soften. Gradually add the 2 cups granulated sugar. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and molasses. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour mixture.
3. Shape dough into 2-inch balls using 1/4 cup dough. Roll balls in the 3/4 cup coarse or granulated sugar. Place about 2-1/2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until cookies are light brown and puffed. (Do not overbake or cookies will not be chewy.) Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Makes twenty-five (25) 4-inch cookies.
To Present This Gift... Stamp the bag as desired. Let the ink dry. Carefully roll down the top of the bag. Using a crafts knife, cut two slits wide enough to accommodate the ribbon on each side of the bag top. Thread the ribbon up through a slit on one side of the bag, then across the top and down through another slit on the other side of the bag. Bring the other end of the ribbon under the bag and staple or glue the ends together. Let glue dry. Repeat for the second ribbon. Line bag with parchment paper or waxed paper.
Also try this... Use permanent markers instead of stamps to draw designs on the paper bag.
To present this gift you will need: Stamp pad and stamp, brown paper bag, crafts knife, 2 yards of wire-edge ribbon cut into 1-yard lengths, stapler or thick white crafts glue, and parchment paper or waxed paper.