I was so excited to receive this new cookie magazine from my sister recently. We, along with our mom, aunts, and female cousins, love to bake and we love cookies, which are great interests to share with the women in my family.

I adore gingerbread cookies, and these turned out quite good, so I’m happy to share the recipe with you today.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup shortening

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon ground baking soda

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup molasses

1 egg

2 cups all-purpose flower

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips, or chopped pieces

The recipe also called for 1/2 cup dried tart red cherries, which I left out because I thought that might be too many flavors going on in one cookie.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, beat shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, baking soda, ginger, allspice, and salt; beat until combined.

3. Beat in molasses and egg until combined.

4. Beat in as much of the flower as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour and chocolate.

5. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake about 8-9 minutes or until bottoms are light brown. Transfer to wire racks; cool.

Makes about 36 cookies. They are quite tasty on a bowl of vanilla bean ice cream. Enjoy!