I'm a Lumberjack and I'm Better Than Ok!

**This is a guest post over at chickensintheroad.com   ... and my mother just informed me that my grandmother never made them.  She got the recipe from a cookbook she received as a wedding gift.  So much for thinking it was an old family recipe!!!!

I grew up in Massachusetts, a couple towns over from Sturbridge, home of the famous Old Sturbridge Village.  For those of you not familiar with it, it is a living history museum much like Williamsburg or Old World Wisconsin.  It is one of my favorite places to be, and also where my husband and I went on our very first date.  During our annual visit home this summer, I was pleased to discover that my kids also love it!

Decades ago, my grandmother started making the molasses cookies that the Village Bakery sold.  The recipe for these "Lumberjack Cookies" was published in an OSV cookbook that I would love to get my hands on!  Anyway, long story short, my mother made them while we were growing up and now I'm making them.  It wouldn't be fall or Christmas without these wonderful cookies that instantly bring me back 'home.'

First, gather your ingredients (and pardon the construction zone.  One of these days I'll have new counters and a new backsplash!)

1 cup sugar
1 cup shortening, melted
2eggs
1 cup dark molasses
4 cups flour
1 tso baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ginger
2 tsp cinnamon

I am trying to stay away from hydrogenated fat, so I use Earth Balance's natural shortening.

Cream together the sugar, shortening, eggs, and molasses.  I use a glass measuring cup to melt the shortening, and then I use that same cup for the molasses.  It just pours right out.

Dump in the dry ingredients and mix well.

Your dough should look like this:

Scoop out a walnut-sized piece and roll in sugar.

Bake at 350 for 12 minutes.

Enjoy!