White Chocolate Dipped Gingerbread Cookies

I love this cookie. It's a decadent gingerbread cookie with a hint of orange, dipped in divine white chocolate. Use your favorite cookie cutter for a delicious and beautiful treat. Number of cookies will depend on size/shape of your cookie cutters. Cook/prep time does not include 2 hour chill time.

• Ready In: 42 mins
• Yields: 3 dozen

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons dark molasses
• 1  tablespoon water
• 1  large egg
• 3 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1  cup dark brown sugar
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons  dried orange peel
• 2  teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1  tablespoon ground ginger
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1  cup  cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1⁄2 cup solid shortening
• 2 (6 ounce) boxes white chocolate baking squares

Directions

1. Whisk molasses, water and egg in a small bowl; set aside.
2. With an electric mixer, mix flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, orange peel, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and allspice in large mixing bowl.
3. Cut in butter using a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
4. Pour molasses mixture over flour; beat with mixer until dough forms.
5. Turn out on lightly floured surface. Knead 5 to 7 minutes.
6. Transfer dough to bowl; cover. Chill a minimum of 2 hours.
7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
8. Roll dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper to 1/8-inch thickness.
9. Cut with cookie cutters.
10. Place on baking sheets; bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool.
11. Melt shortening and white baking chocolate in heavy saucepan over medium heat. Dip half of each cookie in chocolate.
12. Place on cooling racks or wax paper to let chocolate harden.