Gingerbread

Ingredients

• 190g shortening, melted (1 cup)
• 200g granulated sugar (1 cup)
• 160g cultured buttermilk (1 cup)
  • These came out really wet and difficult to handle last year, try reducing the buttermilk to 2/3 cup.
• 4 teaspoons baking soda
• 310g dark molasses (1 cup)
• 625=>750g ap flour, add more as needed (5=>6 cups)
• 3 tsp ginger (add another tsp)
• 2 tsp cinnamon (add another tsp)

Instructions

1. Melt shortening in glass measuring cup in microwave. Shortening should equal 1 cup when melted.
2. Add melted shortening to mixing bowl and stir in sugar.
3. In a new bowl, add baking soda to buttermilk. Stir with a fork until buttermilk foams and rises. Add to mixing bowl.
4. Add molasses to mixing bowl.
5. Add ginger and cinnamon to mixing bowl.
6. Gradually add flour into mixing bowl 1 cup at a time. After the 5th cup, the dough should be moist and somewhat shiny. Add the last cup or more if needed.
7. Let the dough stand overnight in the fridge.

• Roll out between parchment paper and freeze the sheets before cutting
• Cut and freeze ginger people on a baking sheet, repeat with the scraps
• Bake 12-23 minutes at 350º

Notes

• Cookies should have a bit of a crispy crust, but very soft and chewy inside