INGREDIENTS
o 5 cups sifted flour
o 1 1/2 t salt
o 1 1/2 t ginger
o 1 t baking powder
o 1 t baking soda
o 1/4 t cloves
o 3/4 cup vegetable shortening or margarine
o 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
o 1 cup molasses
o 1/2 cup water
METHOD
Lightly grease cookie sheets.
Sift together the flour, salt, ginger, baking powder, baking soda and cloves; set aside.
Cream the shortening/margarine until softened, and gradually cream in the sugar until fluffy.
Mix together the molasses and water, and alternately blend dry ingredients in fourths, molasses mixture in thirds, into creamed mixture, blending well after each addition. Finally blend until well mixed. Chill dough 1 1/2 hours.
Remove amount of dough needed for a single rolling. Roll 1/4 inch / 7 mm thick on lightly floured surface. Cut with 3 inch / 7.5 cm round cookie cutter.
Using a pancake turner, place cookies about 2 inches / 5 cm apart on cookie sheets.
Bake at 375 F about 10 minutes. Remove cookies to cooling rack.
Makes about 2 dozen large cookies.