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Gingerbread Cookie Cutouts

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• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup light (mild) molasses
• 1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 5 cups all-purpose flour

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In cup, stir baking soda into molasses; set aside until pale brown and frothy.
2. Meanwhile, in large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat butter with sugar, ginger, and salt until creamy, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. At low speed, beat in molasses mixture and egg (mixture may look curdled). Gradually add 4 3/4 cups flour; beat just until blended, occasionally scraping bowl.
3. On lightly floured surface, knead dough until thoroughly mixed, kneading in remaining 1/4 cup flour if necessary. Divide dough in half; wrap half of dough with plastic wrap and set aside.
4. On floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll remaining half of dough slightly thinner than 1/4 inch. With floured 3- to 4-inch assorted cookie cutters, cut dough into as many cookies as possible; reserve trimmings. Place cookies, 1/2 inch apart, on ungreased large cookie sheet. Reroll trimmings and cut out more cookies.
5. Bake cookies 8 to 10 minutes, until edges begin to brown. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool. Repeat with remaining dough.
6. When cookies are cool, prepare ; use to decorate cookies as desired. Allow frosting to dry completely, about 1 hour. Store cookies in tightly covered container up to 2 weeks.