Gingerbread Cookies:

1. Mix flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon and clove in a bowl and set aside.
2. In the bowl of the stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Slowly stir in molasses, egg, orange zest and vanilla. Mixed until fully combined.
3. Add the flour mixture to the wet mix in thirds. Mix until fully combined and the dough attaches to the paddle.
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
5. Roll the dough out onto a floured or parchment lined surface to 1/4″ thick.
6. Cut gingerbread dough into festive shapes of choice.
7. Bake for 4-6 minutes (for soft cookies.)
8. Transfer to cooling rack to cool fully. 

Royal Icing:

1. Place Meringue powder and half of the water in the bowl of an electric mixer.
2. Add water and beat on high for about 3-5 minutes until it doubles in size.
3. Switch to a paddle attachment and mix in the powdered sugar and vanilla bean on medium for 2-3 minutes until well combined.

Piping:

1. The icing will be very thick. Add warm water a few splashes at a time until the frosting is the consistency of toothpaste.
2. If you’d like to color the icing, divide the toothpaste like icing into separate bowls and color with a drop of gel food coloring until the desired hue is achieved. Transfer 1/3 of the colored icing into tipless piping bags and seal closed.

Flooding:

1. Thin the remainder of the stiff pink icing in the bowls by adding a few drops of warm water.
2. Stir and add a few more drops of water, or spray down with a spray bottle until the consistency of the icing is slightly runny when picked up with a spoon.
3. If you run a spatula through the icing it should take around 5-6 seconds to disappear.
4. That’s when you”ll know the icing is ready.
5. Transfer flood icing to tipless piping bag and seal closed.

Decorating:

1. Slowly outline the the edge of each cookie with the piping icing.
2. Pipe to outline trees and gingerbread houses in design of choice.
3. The outlined icing will look look beautiful as is against the dark color of the cookie. OR
4. Flood with royal icing. Use a scribe or toothpick to spread the icing evenly over the cookies.
5. Repeat steps for all cookies.
6. To decorate a large cookie, follow the same steps by outlining first and then flooding the cookie.
7. Allow to fully dry before adding decorative details.
8. Dust with edible glitter
9. Set aside to dry for at least 2 hours.
10. Seal or serve.
11. The cookies will freeze for up to 6 months.