Baking My Way: Frosted Pepparkakor

I'm never making these again! Ha ha. Maybe there is a trick to it, but I didn't figure it out. They taste amazing but the frosting stayed sticky and was like melted marshmallows sticking together when you stacked the cookies (glad I took the picture now before!). Again, they tasted amazing so I guess if I wanted to eat them all at once it would be alright.  

Cookies:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup margarine or butter softened (I used butter)
3 tablespoons molasses (3 ounces, I used Bre’r Rabbit full-flavored)
1 egg
2 tablespoons water or milk (I had Musgovian evaporated milk)
3-1/3 cups all-purpose or unbleached flour (465g)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Frosting:
3/4 cup water
1 envelope unflavored gelatin (1 tbsp)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder (not a mistake)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Cookies: 
In large bowl, beat sugar, margarine, and molasses until light and fluffy. Add egg and water, blend well. Stir in flour, soda, salt, spices; mix well to form a smooth dough. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 hour (minimum) for easier handling.

Heat oven to 350 deg F. On floured surface, roll 1/3 dough at a time to 1/8 inch thickness. Keep remaining dough refrigerated. Cut with floured 2-1/2 inch cutters. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake at 350 deg F for 9-11 minutes or until set. Immediately remove from cookie sheets and cool completely.

Makes 8-10 dozen thin cookies.


Frosting: 
In 2-quart saucepan, combine 3/4 cup water and gelatin. Let stand 5 minutes to soften gelatin. Stir in 3/4 cup granulated sugar, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in powdered sugar, beat until foamy.

Stir in baking powder and vanilla; beat at highest speed until thick, about 10 minutes. Spread frosting on cooled cookies or pipe frosting following outline of cookies. Allow frosting to set for several hours before storing. Ample frosting for outlining 10 dozen cookies.