Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients:

• 5 1/2 - 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons powdered ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup solid vegetable shortening
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 cups molasses
• 2 eggs beaten

Makes:

40 medium-sized cookies. Each cookie serves 1.

Instructions:

step 1

Preheat oven to 375°F. Thoroughly mix flour, baking soda, salt and spices.

Melt shortening in large saucepan. Cool slightly.

Add sugar, molasses and eggs to saucepan;

mix well. Add 4 cups dry ingredients and mix well.

step 2

Turn mixture onto lightly floured surface.

Knead in remaining dry ingredients by hand.

Add a little more flour, if necessary, to make firm dough.

step 3

On floured surface, roll out 1/8 to 1/4 in. thick for cut-out cookies.

Bake on ungreased cookie sheet, small and medium-sized cookies

for 6-10 minutes, large cookies for 10-15 minutes.

step 4

Note: If you're not going to use your gingerbread dough right away,

wrap in plastic and refrigerate.

Refrigerated dough will keep for a week.

step 5

Substitute 1 1/4 cups light corn syrup for molasses to make Blonde Gingerbread.