Great-Grandma's Gingerbread Cookies

4 from 1 ratings

This 1989 second-place winner from Ann Smith came all the way from Bohemia, which Smith's great-grandmother left in 1872 to move to the U.S. Living in a small Czech-American town in South Dakota, she used to give her neighbors Old World gingerbread men, reindeer, and rocking horses at Christmas. The recipe includes sorghum, which gives the cookies a special flavor, but molasses can be used as a substitute.Chilling time: Overnight Yield: 3 dozen 5-inch cookies

Servings

servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup cold water
2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sorghum or molasses
5 -6 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon each, ground: cinnamon, ginger
1/2 teaspoon each: ground cloves, salt

Directions

1. Cream shortening and sugar in mixing bowl, beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix water and baking soda in small bowl until dissolved. Add baking soda mixture and sorghum to butter mixture. Sift 51/2 cups of the flour, the spices and salt together. Blend into dough. Divide dough into 4 balls. Wrap in plastic wrap. Flatten and refrigerate overnight.
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Roll 1 portion of dough out at a time on lightly floured surface. Cut into desired shapes. Bake on a greased cookie sheet until puffed, 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overbake.
3. When cool, decorate with buttercream frosting and/or candies as desired.