Grandma’s Gingersnap Cookies

This melt in your mouth recipe from my grandmother has been in my family since 1899.

Yields:5 dozen

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup shortening
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup dark molasses
• 1/3 cup cinnamon sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (275 degrees C).
2. Mix and sift the first 5 ingredients. Sift a second time and place the mixture back into the sifter.
3. Beat the shortening until creamy. Add the 1 cup of sugar gradually and continue beating. Beat in the egg and the molasses.
4. Sift into this about 1/3 of the flour mixture, stirring and blending well. Repeat until all is added. Roll the dough into tiny balls by hand, rolling each in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar.
5. Place 2 inches apart on a ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes until the tops are rounded and slightly cracked. Cool on a wire rack. Store in an air tight container.