Gingerbread Cookies

These are an every Christmas must in the Penrod family! I unfortunately lost my recipe this year, and while the one I found is close, it's not quite there. Still good, just not what it was. However, I feel I need to get it written somewhere so that I won't lose it again! It may be tweaked in the future though.... (I will put a date in here when I do though so you know you are looking at the one I use!)

Flour Blend: (I use this for all flour substitutions)
1 cup Rice Flour
1 cup Corn Starch
1 cup Tapioca Starch
1 Tbsp Potato Flour (I have had trouble finding this for a while and left it out. The blend still works well without it.)

Cookies:
3 cups Gluten Free Flour Blend
3 tsp Ginger
2 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 to 3/4 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) of softened Butter
3/4 cup packed Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Molasses
1 Egg
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Raisins for buttons and red hots for eyes

Frosting:
1 stick softened Butter
1 tsp Vanilla
Dash of milk
3-6 cups of Powdered Sugar

• Heat oven to350°
• Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside
• Beat butter and brown sugar in a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.
• Add molasses, egg, and vanilla; Mix well
• Gradually add in flour mix on low speed
• Flour a gallon size zip lock bag or bottom of a bowl and put your sticky ball in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.

• Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness on a floured surface. You may have to knead some flour into it a little until it is firm enough to not stick to your roller, cookie cutter, or counter.
• Cut out men with a gingerbread man cookie cutter and place on cookie sheet. (I like to put down a piece of parchment paper to help with cleanup and easy transfer to cooling rack)
• Bake in oven for 8-10 minutes (I had to do about 9) The egdes will set and begin to brown
• Cool on cookies sheet for 1-2 minutes and then more to a cooling rack

This made about 60-65 cookies.
I make this recipe with regular flour too, very carefully! 

Frosting:
Beat butter. Add vanilla, powdered sugar, and a dash of milk. Add powdered sugar until you have a frosting consistence. Depending on how you decorate your cookies you may need more than this makes. My father in law likes them with no frosting but what I use to stick the buttons and eyes on, but my husband has to have the whole cookie covered. It's whatever your preference is.