Gingerbread Cookies (eggless)

For me, a lot of cooking is trial and error, and this recipe is one of them.  Around Christmas time, I bought a couple of boxes of the Wilton's Gingerbread Mix from Michaels- the main reason being that the cookies are eggless.  The first time I made them (last picture on this post), I followed the recipe on the box exactly and the cookies came out more like ginger snaps.  Although they were good, they weren't gingery enough for me.  So yesterday I tried again, this time modifying it.  These came out more gingery and cookie like, so that's the recipe I'm posting below.

Ingredients

1 box gingerbread mix (as I mentioned above, I used Wilton's)

1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine, at room temperature

1 cup water

1 cup flour

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp allspice

3/4 cup candied ginger, cut into small pieces

Directions

1.  Using an electric mixer, beat the margarine on low until fluffy.  Blend in Mix #1 (flour mix) until uniform and crumbly.

2.  Add water, flour, and spices and beat until dough pulls off the sides of the mixing bowl. Add more water, a little at a time, if needed.

3.  In a small bowl, mix 1/2 cup candied ginger pieces with 1/4 cup of Mix #2 (gingerbread spice mix).

4.  Add the remaining Mix #2 to the dough and beat.  Once the dough is well mixed, use a spoon or your hands to mix in the candied ginger pieces.

5.  Form small balls (~1 tbsp) and place on cookie sheet, flatten slightly.  I used a cookie press to get the flower shapes, but that was for fun, it's not necessary.  Press a piece of candied ginger in the middle.

6.  Bake at 400 F for 13-15 minutes.

Note:  Pictured below are the ginger snaps from the first time I used this mix.  I topped it with a glaze of water, icing sugar, and orange extract.