It's beginning to smell a lot like Christmas

Only... 39 days, 1 hour, 52 min until Christmas!!

I L-O-V-E the holidays. There's just nothing better than Christmas music playing, lights twinkling, fire roaring, cider sipping, gift wrapping... it's the most wonderful time of the year!

Today I went through all my cookbooks and made a list of all the Christmas baking I want to do this year. I  started tonight with gingerbread. I'm trying some new recipes this year (spiced coconut balls, salted caramel nut brittle) but the gingerbread is one of my holidays classics that I always make because it's sooo yummy and so fun. Brian and I will spend an evening decorating (we do traditional gingerbread men, stars, trees etc)... although don't tell him I said that! I found this recipe a few years ago and I always go back to it. So simple and tasty; moist with a bit of crunch and the perfect amount of spice.

Here it is...

Gingerbread

3 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 butter, softened

3/4 brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 molasses

Combine the flour, spices and salt in a bowl. Beat the butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the egg and molasses and beat well. Slowly add the dry ingredients and beat until well combined. Shape dough into a thick flat disc and wrap with plastic wrap. Refridgerate for 4 hours or overnight. Unwrap dough and roll on floured board to about 1/4 thick. Use cookie cutters to make shapes and place on baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake at 350 for 8-10 min or until edges just start to brown. Allow to cool and decorate!