4 ½ cups flour
4 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups shortening (or softened butter)
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
½ cup molasses
¾ cup sugar (if you want to roll the cookie balls in sugar before baking)
(I like to add chopped candied ginger to making them more “gingery”. This is optional.)
(I use butter for shortening.)
This is quite a stiff batter so a heavy duty mixer is a good idea.
1. Beat shortening for 30 seconds. Add 2 cups sugar and beat until combined. Beat in eggs and molasses until combined.
2. Stir together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Add to shortening, sugar, eggs, molasses mixture.
3. Add chopped candied ginger if using (as much as you like).
4. Shape dough into balls. Roll balls in sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet (parchment paper works well). 2 inch balls make giant cookies. 1 inch balls smaller cookies.
5. 350 degree oven. 11 to 13 minutes for giant cookies. 8 to 9 minutes for smaller cookies.