...and normally I would have made these ahead of time. This year we will make them as a Saint Nicholas Day activity, together as a family. I hope to be able to post a picture of them tomorrow but it rather depends on my camera, which has not been co-operating of late. My oldest daughter Amanda, introduced the idea of mixing ginger and chocolate together to our family. I will always remember her words like it was yesterday: "I know it sounds weird Mummy, but trust me - they will be delicious. Really!"
And she was right - they were delicious and the start to a new tradition. I don't think we have missed a single year yet without these delicious cookies on St Nicholas' special day.
Marlene’s Old Fashioned Molasses Cookies
Preheat oven to 350 f
Single
½ cup white sugar (If you double use only ¾ c white sugar)
½ cup molasses
½ cup shortening (butter etc)
1/3 cup HOT water
1 egg
2 level teaspoons baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 tsp ginger
2 ½ cups white flour
Chocolate M&Ms (Emmmm – delish!)
Cream the sugar molasses and shortening together and then add the hot water stir until smooth and then add the egg(s).
Add salt, soda and ginger to the flour and then slowly mix the flour into the wet ingredients. When the dough is well mixed you can roll it out on a slightly floured surface and then begin to cut your cookies out.
Decorate the cookies with your M&Ms, bake at 350 until lightly browned, typically 20 minutes.
