Small Home Gazette, Summer 2015

Ginger Creams With Easy Creamy Icing

Another use for molasses (no rust involved). This recipe was the “cookie of the decade” for 1910 to 1920. At least, that’s the designation of the authors of the Betty Crocker Cooky Book, published in 1963 (http://tinyurl.com/qy28cdj). We’re going to assume the recipe is a modified or refined version of an early 20th century recipe.

1/4 cup shortening (you can also use butter, slightly softened)
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

For icing:
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract (or vanilla, or other flavoring)
1–2 tablespoons cream

Mix together the shortening, sugar, egg, molasses and water. In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients together and add to shortening/egg mixture. Use a hand mixer. Dough will be very wet. Chill dough for several hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls (use a cookie scoop—a two-teaspoon size) onto parchment-covered baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes or until almost no imprint remains when you touch the cookie with your finger.

For the icing, combine the confectioners’ sugar, flavoring, and enough cream to make spreadable. When cookies are cool, frost with a small amount of icing.