Sugar cookies

1. Preheat oven to 347°F / 175°C and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl mix together all the dry ingredients, flour, spices, salt and baking soda (if possible sift the dry ingredients twice).
3. Place the softened butter with the brown sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until creamy.
4. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat again for 1 minute to incorporate.
5. Then add the molasses and mix for a few moments to obtain a homogeneous mixture.
6. Add the dry ingredients and mix with a mixer or by hand until you have a smooth ball of dough.
7. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Shape snowflake cookies and baking

1. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface or between 2 sheets of baking paper and place the dough disc in the freezer for 10 minutes.
2. Cut out the snowflake shapes with cookie cutters and place the cookies on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet, leaving a 2 inches / 5 cm space between each cookie.
3. Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes (depending on the size of the cookies) until they are puffed and lightly browned around the edges.
4. Remove the snowflakes cookies from the oven and let them cool a bit on the baking sheet before gently moving them to a cooling rack.

Cookies icing

1. Place the sifted powdered sugar with the water in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer for about 5 minutes until smooth, thick, and fluid. (If the icing is too fluid add more powdered sugar and mix again and if it is too compact add a little water)
2. Fill a piping bag with the icing and cut a small opening.
3. Immediately decorate the cooled sugar cookies and sprinkle on granulated sugar.
4. Let the cookies dry at room temperature for 1 hour before eating them.