Gingerbread Bear Cookies
5 cups flour1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt2-3 teaspoons ground ginger1 teaspoon ground cinnamon1 teaspoon ground cloves2 sticks ( 1/2 pound) butter, softened1 cup sugar2 eggs1 cup molasses (light preferred, or mix light and dark)2 tablespoons vinegarIcing2 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons waterWhole cloves, sprinkles and candies for decoratingHeat oven to 375 degrees.In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients and set aside.With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, molasses and vinegar and mix well. Gradually add dry ingredients to form soft dough. Chill dough 3 hours or overnight.Roll out dough about 1/4-inch thick for large bears. Cut with bear-shaped cookie cutter. Roll a small ball of dough and attach with a drop of water to head of bear to form muzzle. Bake cookies 12 minutes for large bears, 10 minutes for small bears. Remove from oven.While cookies are still hot, insert whole cloves in muzzle for nose and eyes. Attach miniature sunglasses and parasol if using. Cool cookies completely before decorating.For the icing: Mix powdered sugar with water (add more if needed) to form stiff icing. Add meringue powder (available where cake decorating supplies are sold) if a hard-drying icing is desired. Frost and decorate cookies as desired.Makes about 20 large (8-inch cookies) or 48 small (3-inch) cookies.Nutrition values per small cookie: 136 calories, 4 g fat (2 g saturated), 23 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein, 19 mg cholesterol, 68 mg sodium.