Food coloring Method:

1. Sift dry ingredients together.

2. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and honey and beat until well combined. Gradually beat in dry ingredients.

3. Divide dough into two batches. Wrap in plastic and chill. (Cold dough is easier to work with.)

4. Preheat oven to 175 C. Line baking sheets.

5. Roll out dough between two large sheets of parchment paper. The dough becomes tacky quickly if you roll on it directly.

6. Shape cookies and transfer to lined baking sheets.

7. If you are using the gingerbread as decor for the Christmas tree, you need to make a little hole in the cookies so you can hang them up. I find the best way is to use a drinking straw to poke a hole at the top of the cooking. It's neat and quick.

8. Bake cookies for about 12 to 15 minutes, depending on how large or small you have cut them. Watch the first batch to better estimate your timing. Cool cookies completely before icing.