Directions

I.  In a large bowl cream butter and sugar together and then beat until light. Add molasses, egg, and egg white, beating to blend all ingredients together.

2.  In a separate bowl, stir flour together with malted milk powder, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating until just blended. Form dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 4 hours to overnight. The dough is easier to handle, the longer it’s refrigerated.

3.  Prepare baking sheets by spraying lightly with cooking or baking spray or lining with parchment paper and set aside. Preheat oven to 325 F. Working with a third of the dough at a time, roll out onto a lightly floured board or pastry cloth to a thickness of about ¼‑inch. Cut out cookies with floured cookie cutters and transfer to prepared baking sheets. 

4.  Bake cookies until lightly browned around edges and barely firm when touched (10 to 12 minutes). After removing from oven, allow cookies to cool a few minutes before transferring to wire racks. When completely cooled, decorate with White Icing piped from a pastry bag or paper cone.

5. To Make White Icing: Beat sugar with meringue powder and water until thick and white, about 7 minutes. Icing may be tinted with food coloring at this point. Keep icing covered with plastic wrap to prevent drying out. If necessary, use a little warm water to thin frosting to the right consistency for pipping or spreading.