3/4 c Vegetable shortening at room
-temperature
1 c Firmly packed light brown
-sugar
1 lg Egg, beaten lightly
1/4 c Unsulfured molasses
2 c All purpose flour
2 ts Baking soda
1 ts Cinnamon
1 ts Ground ginger
1/2 ts Ground cloves
1/4 ts Salt
Granulated sugar for dipping
-the balls of dough.
The texture of these spicy offerings varies according to baking time.
Underbake them if you are partial to a chewy cookie; give them an
extra minute or two in the oven if a crisp cookie is desired.
In a bowl cream the shortening with the brown sugar until the mixture
is light and fluffy and stir in the egg and the molasses. Into
another bowl sift together the flour, the baking soda, the cinnamon,
the ginger, the cloves and the salt, add the flour mixture in batches
to the shortening mixture, and blend the dough well. Chill the dough,
covered, for 1 hour.
Roll level tablespoons of the dough into balls, dip one side of each
ball into the granulated sugar, and arrange the balls, sugared sides
up, about 3 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Bake the cookies
in batches in the middle of a preheated 375 degree F oven for 10 to
12 minutes, or until they are puffed and cracked on top. transfer the
cookies with a metal spatula to racks and let them cool. Makes about
40 cookies.
Yields
40 Cookies