Gingerbread Santas

Santa will be sure to smile when he sees his likeness on these darling cookies! 

Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. ground ginger
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• ¾ tsp. ground allspice
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup butter, at room temperature
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbs. honey
• 2 Tbs. molasses
• 2 Tbs. minced crystallized ginger
• 1 pkg. (16 oz.) confectioners’ sugar
• 3 Tbs. meringue powder
• Assorted colors concentrated food colorings 
• White decorating sugar

Instructions

1. Combine flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice and soda; reserve. On medium speed, beat butter and sugars until fluffy, 3-4 minutes. On low, beat in egg, then honey and molasses until combined. Gradually beat in reserved flour mixture until just combined. Beat in crystallized ginger. Shape dough into 2 disks. Wrap; refrigerate 1 hour to 2 days. 
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. On lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 3/16″ thickness. Using 3¼” Santa-face cookie cutter, cut out cookies, re-rolling scraps and refrigerating dough as necessary. Place cookies ¾” apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until slightly browned around edges. Cool 5 minutes. Transfer to racks; cool completely. 
3. On low speed, beat confectioners’ sugar, meringue powder and 7 Tbs. warm water until soft peaks form, 8–10 minutes, adding more water, 1 tsp. at a time, if necessary to thin; tint as desired with food colorings. Transfer to separate pastry bags fitted with writing tips. Pipe on decorations, sprinkling Santa’s hat trim with decorating sugar; let dry, about 30 minutes.