| 12 cup Vegetable shortening | | 1 cup Sugar | | 3 x Eggs | | 1/2 cup Cold water | | 2 tsp Baking soda | | 1 cup Sorghum or molasses | | All-purpose flour (5-6 cups) | | 1 tsp Ground cinnamon | | 1/2 tsp Ground cloves | | 1 tsp Ginger | | 1/2 tsp Salt |
| | Preparation Time: 30 minutes | | Chilling Time: Overnight | | Baking Time: 10 minutes | | 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 5 1/2 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. Sorghum gives these cookies a special flavor, but molasses can be used as a substitute. | | gingerbread men left Bohemia in 1872 and immigrated to the United States. Smith's great-grandmother, Babicka" Novak |
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