*FEATURE* Dear America Recipe - Revolutionary War, Ginger Snaps

Ginger Snaps

You're lucky enough to be able to turn on your oven and bake anytime you like. When Abigail and her family wanted baked treats, they had to wake up very early in the morning in order to get their open-flame oven at the proper temperature. Baking was certainly an all day affair for Abigail.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of sifted all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon of ground ginger

• 2 teaspoons of baking powder

• teaspoon of ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon of salt

• 3/4 cup of shortening

• 1 cup of white sugar

• 1 egg

• 1/4 cup of dark molasses

• 1/3 cup of sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

Makes 2 Quarts

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Sift the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a mixing bowl. Stir the mixture to blend evenly and sift a second time into another bowl.

Place the shortening into a mixing bowl and beat until creamy. Gradually beat in the white sugar. Beat in the egg, and dark molasses. Sift 1/3 of the flour mixture into the shortening mixture; stir thoroughly to blend. Sift in the remaining flour mixture and mix together until soft dough forms. Pinch off small amounts of the dough and roll into 1-inch diameter balls. Roll each ball in cinnamon sugar and place about two inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake in the oven until the tops are rounded and slightly cracked, about 10 minutes. Cool cookies on a wire rack and store in an airtight container.