Gingerbread Cookies 2 cups molasses 2 eggs 2 cups brown sugar 9 cups all purpose flour 2 cups butter or margarine 1 Tbsp allspice 2 tsp baking soda 2 tsp ginger Heat molasses, brown sugar, butter and baking soda to a boil. Refrigerate until room temperature. Stir in eggs. Add flour and spices. Chill dough until firm enough to handle. Roll out dough about 1/4-inch thick for cookies, 3/8-inch thick for houses. Place on lightly greased or parchment-lined cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees until cookies are lightly browned around edges, about 10-12 minutes. Cool before decorating with royal icing.
	Royal Icing 3 egg whites 4 cups powdered sugar 1/2 tsp cream of tartar Beat all ingredients on high speed of a hand mixer until stiff. Color icing as needed. Keep icing covered at all times as it can dry out quickly. Recipe can be doubled, but may require a stand mixer to mix.
	Chocolate Hazelnut Drops 1 cup butter 2 cups all purpose flour 1/2 cup sugar 2/3 cup ground hazelnuts 2 egg yolks 1/2 cup shaved chocolate (place chocolate chips in a food processor or blender and process until finely chopped) 2 Tbsp water 2 tsp vanilla 1/2 cup ground hazelnuts 1/2 cup melted semisweet chocolate coating or chocolate chips
Cream butter and sugar until light. Add yolks, water, and vanilla. Stir in flour, 2/3 cup hazelnuts, and chocolate. Using a small ice cream scoop or spoon, drop balls of dough into 1/2 cup ground hazelnuts to coat. Place on lightly greased or parchment - lined cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees until cookies are lightly browned around edges, about 10-12 minutes. Cool. Place melted chocolate in a parchment bag. Cut a small opening. Drizzle chocolate lines over cookies.