Eggless gingerbread cookies with icing

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 cup flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon powder

• 1-1.5 teaspoon dry ginger powder

• 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice/all spice

• 0.5 teaspoon baking soda

• ¼ tsp salt

• 2-3 spoonfuls of milk or light cream

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• ½ cup or 80 gm butter

For the icing

• 2-3 tablespoons of icing sugar

• 1 teaspoon corn flour

• 2-3 teaspoons milk

• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

• Food colouring - few drops - optional

Method:

1. Prepare 2-3 baking sheets and preheat the oven to 180 degrees

2. In a medium bowl, sift together all dry ingredients - flour, salt, spices, baking powder and soda

3. In a heavy bottomed pan, heat butter on a low flame and add sugar. Gently stir once and wait till the sugar has just about melted. Switch off the flame.

4. Mix the dry ingredients into the butter and fold in using a spatula.

5. The mixture should be easy to handle by hand. Try to bring the dough together adding just 1/2 teaspoons of milk/cream as required.

6. Knead lightly till the dough is formed. Shape into a dough, wrap in a cling wrap and chill in the fridge for about 1-2 hours.

7. Roll out the dough into a sheet, less than half a centimeter high and cut into various shapes using cookie cutters.

8. Bake for 14-16 minutes till the centre is slightly soft to touch and cookies have browned on the edges.

9. Cool on a wire rack for about 1 hour before icing or consuming.

To make the icing-

1. Sift Icing sugar and corn flour in a small bowl

2. Add 1/2 teaspoon of milk and whisk with a hand whisk, adding only drops of milk as required

3. Be extra cautious with milk addition if you are using liquid food colour

4. Add a few drops of lemon juice

5. Adjust quantity of sugar to get a smooth icing of pipable consistency