Ginger Cookie Cut-Outs

Here's a recipe for gingerbread people, originally published by Kraft in a Christmas cooking feature. We like these cookies so much, we make them and eat them all year long. Although you can decorate them, we don't. They're great plain with a pot of tea. The butterscotch pudding used is a small box (serves 4).

• Ready In: 1 hr 45 mins
• Yields: 16 cookies

Ingredients

• 3⁄4 cup butter, softened
• 3⁄4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 3 1⁄2 ounces instant butterscotch pudding mix
• 1  egg
• 2 1⁄4 cups flour
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1  tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Beat butter or margarine, pudding mix, and egg with an electric mixer on medium speed until well-blended.
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a separate bowl. Gradually add to pudding mixture, beating well after each addition. Refrigerate dough 1 hour or until firm.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough on lightly-floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into shapes (we use a 4" long gingerbread man cutter). Place a greased baking sheets.
4. Bake 10-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Remove from baking sheets. Cool on wire racks.