Ginger Spice Cookies with Crystalized Ginger

This cookie recipe was adapted from the Food Network magazine, December 2016. These cookies are more time consuming to make than most other cookie recipes but worth the time. They are not only cute, but delicious! I'll be adding this cookie to my Christmas trays for years to come ;o)

Cookie Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 6 tablespoons no salt butter, softened
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped crystalized ginger

Icing Ingredients: 

• 2 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 4 tablespoons warm water
• 2 tablespoons meringue powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter
• Liquid food coloring

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Combine first seven dry ingredients together in a large bowl; set aside. 
3. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together butter and sugar until well blended. Add molasses, egg and crystalized ginger and continue mixing. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix on low speed until fully incorporated. (If dough is too sticky, refrigerate about 30 minutes.)
4. Form dough into 3/4 inch balls and place on prepared cookie sheets at least 1 inch apart. For uniform cookies, use a small cookie scooper to make your balls. Flatten balls slightly using bottom of greased glass.
5. Bake for 10 minutes in preheated oven. Place on cooling rack.
6. Icing: Mix all icing ingredients, except food coloring, together, until smooth. Put about 1/2 cup of icing in a small shallow bowl; add a few small drops of food coloring to icing and swirl around with knife for a marbled effect. Dip top of cooled cookie in icing; allow excess icing to drip off before turning over. If icing is too thick, add a few more drops of water until nice consistency. Repeat until icing is used; adding more small drops of food coloring and/or water as needed. Add another 1/2 cup of icing to small bowl; add different color of food coloring, as desired. Continue until all cookies are iced. 

NOTE: Use only 1/2 cup of icing at a time so food coloring does not lose it's marbled effect.