Classic Aunt Sally (or Sally Ann) Cookies

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup shortening (not butter)
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup molasses
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 5 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon clove
• 1 tablespoon ginger
• 1 (1/4 ounce) envelope plain gelatin
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup cold water

Recipe

• 1 cream shortening and sugar, add molasses and eggs and buttermilk.
• 2 mix dry ingredients thoroughly, then add to creamed mixture.
• 3 refrigerate for an hour or so, until slightly firm.
• 4 roll out at about 1/4" (thicker for more cakelike cookies, thinner for crispier ones - they're good both ways).
• 5 cut out (traditionally with a spam can, but to each her own).
• 6 bake at 325 for about 12-15 minutes.
• 7 when cookies are cool, whip up the icing.
• 8 in saucepan, dissolve gelatin in cold water.
• 9 bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes.
• 10 while simmering, add 3 c powdered sugar to a large straight-sided bowl and measure in soda. stir.
• 11 pour hot liquid into sugar mixture and whisk. add vanilla. lumps are not good.
• 12 if 3 c of powdered sugar is enough to produce a almost-set pudding-like icing, it is read. if it seems thin, add another cup and whisk inches.
• 13 take cooled cookies and dip the tops into the icing, wiping off excess on side of bowl.
• 14 set on wax paper until icing is hard.