Chocolate Pistachio Gingerbread Cookies



Chocolate Pistachio Gingerbread Cookies......

....or as I like to call them-"Muddy Gingerbread Mittens, Canes and Overalls.  I don't like to bake, but I love to decorate! So if you have a great gingerbread cookie recipe by all means use it, I use ready made gingerbread cookie dough. These are great to give out as neighbor gifts, if I can keep my family from eating them all!

Ingredients:
gingerbread cookie dough-(30 oz. size ready made roll like Pillsbury)
all purpose flour
rolling pin
large cookie cutters
semi-sweet chocolate chips
chopped pistachios

Directions:

1. Keep dough in refrigerator till ready to roll out.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Sprinkle counter with flour. Cut gingerbread cookie dough-roll in half and put other half in a Ziploc baggie or plastic wrap and place back into fridge to keep cold.
4. Form dough half into a ball and then flatten with hand on top of floured surface, with a floured rolling pin roll out dough until its 1/4 inch thick. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters and place on an ungreased cooking sheet, place pan into fridge or freezer until the cookie shapes are cold and firm (cold dough will hold its shape better when cooking then room temperature.
5. Cook in the middle of your oven for 11 minutes (adjust the time according to the type of oven you have and if you prefer soft or crunchy cookies).  I like my gingerbread cookies firm but soft, you don't want them to fall apart when you decorate them.
6. When the desired cooking time is done place cooking pan on a rack to cool. Then remove cookies from pan to a platter or covered table until ready to decorate. Repeat steps #3-6 until desired amount of dough is used up (makes about 2 dozen cookies if using the whole roll).
7. When ready to decorate, use a microwave to melt chocolate chips (about 2 cups), using a microwave safe glass bowl. Frequently check the chocolate so not to over cook. You want the chocolate to be soft and smooth.
8. Using the back of a spoon and holding the cookie in your other palm of your hand, frost the chocolate on the top surface of the cookie then sprinkle with pistachios.  Once the chocolate is set they are ready to eat.