My Christmas Gift to You

Merry Christmas, Tropophilia readers.  As my gift to you, I’m sharing my family’s top secret, blow-your-mind, eat a bazillion cookies, gingerbread recipe.  I maintain that this is the best holiday cookie recipe you’ll find.   Enjoy and thanks for a great first year of Tropophilia!

Me and my brothers (I'm in the overalls), Christmas 1986

Ansley Gingerbread

Ingredients:

• 2/3 Cup Shortening
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1 Egg
• ¼ Cup Molasses
• 2 Cups All Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
• 1 tsp. Ground Ginger
• 1 tsp. Ground Cloves
• 1/2 tsp. Ground Nutmeg

Instructions:

Mix dry ingredients.  In separate bowl, mix shortening and sugar.  Add egg and molasses to sugar mixture; beat until smooth.  Add dry ingredients to wet mixture; mix completely.  Chill in refrigerator (at least 3 hours; best overnight).

Roll 1/8” thick slab (on sheet coated in flour or parchment paper); cut into fun shapes and bake atop parchment paper on a cookie sheet at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.