Yield: about 50 gingerbread men. Equipment: hand-held electric mixer; 4 inch gingerbread man cutter; pastry bag fitted with small decorate tip (optional). Store in airtight containers.

2 sticks (1 c.) unsalted butter, softened
1 c. firmly packed light brown sugar
1 lg. egg
1 c. dark unsulfured molasses
2 tbsp. cider vinegar
5 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. salt

In a large bowl with mixer cream the butter, add the sugar, and beat until fluffy. Beat in the egg, molasses, and vinegar. Into a bowl sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and the salt and stir the mixture into the butter mixture, a little at a time. (The dough will be soft.) Quarter the dough, dust it with flour, and wrap each piece in wax paper. Flatten the dough slightly and chill it for at least 3 hours or overnight. Butter 2 baking sheets and preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Roll out the dough, one piece at a time, 1/4 inch thick on a floured surface. Flour the cookie cutter and cut out cookies. Transfer the cookies with a spatula to the baking sheets, arranging them 2 inches apart, and bake them in the middle of the oven for 6 to 8 minutes, or until no imprint remains when they are touched lightly with the fingertip.

Transfer the cookies with the spatula to racks and let them cool. Make cookie with the dough scraps in the same manner. If desired, pipe the sugar icing decoratively on the cookies using the pastry bag. Let the cookies stand for 20 minutes, or until the icing is set.