These are great – spicy and chewy, with just a little crispness. However, the baked dough is too soft to be used as gingerbread house components. For that, use Mom’s gingerbread recipe instead.

• ⅓ cup water
• ¾ cup butter
• 4 ½ cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• Pinch salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 ½ cups Brer Rabbit-brand “full flavor” molasses*

Combine water and butter in saucepan; heat until butter melts. In mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and spices. Add water and mix well. Stir in molasses. Chill dough overnight or for at least 8 hours. Divide chilled dough in half. Roll dough to ¼-inch thickness. Cut into shapes. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Repeat with second half of dough. Store in airtight container.

*Yeah, we’re kind of uncomfortable about the brand name Brer Rabbit, and the fact that it’s named after a character in Joel Chandler Harris’ Uncle Remus stories. Seriously, they’re going to have to consider re-branding one of these days. On the other hand, this brand is our go-to for molasses; not only because Grammy always used it, but because it is unsulphured, made from sugar cane and has no preservatives, artificial flavors or colors. Also, as Jon Stewart says of Chick-Fil-A, “but it’s soooo tasty.”

Photo by Casey Chae on Unsplash