John's Roll-out Molasses Cookies

Total Time: 1 hr 58 mins Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 18 mins

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons shortening
• 1 1/2 teaspoons shortening
• 3/4 cup dark molasses
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon clove
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cold water

Recipe

• 1 mix together shortening, molasses and brown sugar. stir in 1/4 cup cold water.
• 2 mix together the flour, salt and spices. add to molasses mixture.
• 3 dissolve soda in 1.5 teaspoons cold water. stir it into the above mixture.
• 4 gather up dough into a ball; on waxed paper, pat into a disk. wrap up. chill for at least an hour.
• 5 roll out between 1/4-inch and 1/2-inch thick. i thought 1/2-inch was a bit too thick, but it's up to you. cut into shapes, specifically gingerbread men or bears. gather up scraps, pat into a ball, reroll and cut into shapes, etc., until you have used most of your dough.
• 6 on lightly greased or sprayed cookie sheets, bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes.
• 7 these swell a little during cooking, so be sure to leave some space between them on the cookie sheets. also, they taste better the day after baking when the spices have had a chance to meld with each other.