On air this morning on Peter Greenberg Worldwide, Chef Norman Love got us excited for the holiday with his gingerbread cookie recipe. Love is the founder and president of Norman Love Confections, which has been making has fine chocolates since 2001. Come back each Saturday for a different signature dish from the chefs that Peter meets on his travels.

Head to the Fort Myers Chocolate Salon for some sweet treats or make a batch of gingerbread men at home this weekend.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. 2 oz. unsalted butter
• 1 lb. 5 oz. granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 6 oz. molasses
• 1 lb. 12 oz. all purpose flour
• 1/8 cup baking soda
• 1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. ginger powder
• 1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. cloves

Recipe:

1. in a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together

2. slowly add the eggs and the molasses to the creamed butter

3. sift the dry ingredients together

4. add the dry ingredients to the butter mix and blend until mixture comes together

5. wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours

6. on a lightly floured surface, roll dough out with a rolling pin to ¼ inch thick

7. use a gingerbread man cutter and cut out the shapes

8. place the gingerbread men onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet

9. bake in a 360’F oven for approximately 10-14 minutes

Servings: 50 cookies

By Norman Love for PeterGreenberg.com

www.normanloveconfections.com