Grandma J’s Ginger Cremes

Name: Grandma J’s Ginger Cremes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/2 cup shortening (not butter); 1 cup beet sugar (not cane sugar); 1 large egg; 1 cup mild-flavored molasses; 4 cups flour, sifted; 1/2 tsp salt; 2 tsp ginger; 1 tsp nutmeg; 1 tsp cloves; 1 tsp cinnamon; 2 tsp fresh baking soda, dissolved in 1 cup boiling water; 2 cups powdered sugar; 1 tbsp butter, softened; 4 tsp heavy cream, plus more as needed; 1 tsp vanilla; Food coloring to desired intensity

6 steps

Prep:15minCook:1h

My sister-in-law made these cookies for me many years ago as a Christmas gift when she was still just dating my brother. I’ve been hooked on them ever since! There’s no other ginger cookie I make every holiday season as these are the perfect blend of warm ginger and moist, soft cookies topped with a sweet icing. The recipe makes about 4 dozen and they freeze well. I typically start baking them late November/early December and then just pull them from the freezer for serving, gift giving, or enjoying all on my own.

Updated at: Thu, 17 Aug 2023 03:38:28 GMT

Ingredients

48 servings

For the Cookies

1 cupbeet sugar

1 cupmolasses

4 cupsflour

½ tspsalt

2 tspginger

1 tspnutmeg

1 tspcloves

1 tspcinnamon

2 tspfresh baking soda

dissolved in 1 cup boiling water

For the Icing

2 cupspowdered sugar

1 Tbspbutter

1 tspvanilla

Instructions

For the Cookies

Step 1

Using mixer, cream shortening and sugar at medium speed for 5 minutes, until creamy. Add egg and molasses.

Step 2

Mix dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. SLOWLY add small amounts of flour mixture, alternating with the baking soda mixture.

Step 3

Drop the dough in approximately 1” wide dollops.

Step 4

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Cookies should be firm, but not hard.

Step 5

I’ve cookies when still slightly warm (I let them cool about 5-10 minutes).

For the Icing

Step 6

Mix ingredients together with whisk or fork, adding additional cream as needed to reach desired consistency. Keep the bowl(s) on the oven between icings to prevent hardening.