Candied Gingerbread Men

These spicy, chewy-crisp gingerbread men get a pop of flavor from pureed candy ginger.

Yield: 3 dozen cookies Active time: 1 hour 45 minutes Total time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup candied ginger
• 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour plus more for rolling
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup unsulphured molasses
• 3 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg

• METHOD

1. Place candied ginger in a food processor. Pulse until almost smooth and paste-like.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
3. In a medium saucepan, melt butter. Whisk in sugar, molasses, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and salt. Let come to room temperature. Whisk in egg.
4. Add butter mixture to flour. Stir until well combined. Add candied ginger paste and stir until evenly distributed.
5. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for at least one hour.
6. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Lightly flour a work surface.
7. Take a third of the dough out of the refrigerator. Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick. Use cookie cutter to cut out gingerbread men. Place cookies on prepared baking sheets and bake until just dry on top and brown around the edges, about 10 to 12 minutes.
8. Let cookies cool for 5 minutes on baking sheets, then move to wire racks.