Back in the day spices were expensive—especially in Bermuda, so this old family recipe called for small amounts of spices (1/4 tsp). Nowadays you can be more generous, so I don’t hold back on the cinnamon, ginger and cloves in this recipe. You can easily double the amounts and then I add a dash more of cinnamon. It will smell like Christmas in your kitchen for days!

  • Ingredients:
  • ¾ cup shortening
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ cup molasses
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp each of cinnamon, ginger and cloves
  • Directions:
  • Beat shortening and sugar together.
  • Add eggs and molasses.
  • Add flour and spices.
  • Roll into balls and then into a bowl of sugar.
  • Do not flatten the cookies before baking.
  • Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 10–12 minutes.