Christmas Molasses A.K.A. Ginger Cookies

**These cookies were featured in The Daily Herald!

December 28, 2011
These cookies are part of a link-up on Secret Recipe Club Cookie Party!

Christmas is in the air! Christmas means snow, presents, pine, family, friends... and food!

I was thinking about Christmas cookies and I remembered a Molasses cookie that an old college friend used to make. The cookies were soft and full of flavor. I rushed to the kitchen, opened my college cookbook and searched for the cookies....

They weren't there!

I wasn't about to give up though! I started searching again by the friend's name, and I found them! The problem was that she called them Ginger Cookies, not Molasses cookies!

Here's my question. Why do we call Molasses cookies Ginger cookies? They only have 1 teas of ginger, but 1/2 cup of molasses! Shouldn't they be called Molasses cookies? I think so.

These cookies were everything I remembered and more. They were easy to make, and baked up beautifully. They are soft and thick, and the sugar sprinkled on top makes them perfect!

I did NOT eat at least 6 cookies within 30 minutes...

So, without further ado...

Molasses Cookies

1 1/2 cup shortening

2 cup sugar

1/2 cup molasses

2 eggs

1 t. cloves

1/2 t. salt

4 t. baking soda

1 t. ginger

2 t. cinnamon

4 cups flour

Sugar to coat

Cream shortening and sugar together. Add molasses and eggs, mix well. Add in all dry ingredients and mix until combined.

Shape into small balls and roll in a bowl of sugar.

Bake at 350 for 8 minutes.

**The cookies will not appear to be done at 8 minutes. RESIST cooking them longer! Leave them on the cookie sheet for 2-3 minutes, then remove to a rack. Trust me, they will be perfect!