Fundakowski-Feldman Molasses Cutout Cookies

The best part about these cookies growing up was their absence of raw eggs. We could eat as much dough as we wanted! Molasses Cutout Cookies (makes about 48 gingerbread men) 2 ½ Cup Flour (3 ¾ C) 1 ½ tsp. Baking soda (2 ¼ tsp.) ½ tsp Salt (3/4 tsp) 1 tsp Ginger (1 ½ tsp) 1 tsp. Cinnamon (1 ½ tsp) 1 Cup Light molasses (1 bottle 12 oz.) ½ Cup Shortening (3/4 Cup) 2 tsp Grated lemon rind (3 tsp) Mix dry ingredients together in bowl. Combine molasses and shortening in saucepan. Bring to boil. Cool. Mix in dry ingredients and rind. Chill 2 hours or overnight. On a floured board, roll dough 1/8 inch thick, cutout and place ½ inch apart on greased cookie sheets. Bake in 375º F oven for 8 – 10 minutes or dry on surface. (I find it helpful to bake one test cookie. If indentations from cookie cutter are not visible on test cookie, more flour may need to be kneaded in to get cookie to hold shape. Too much flour will make a very tough cookie. Cookies can be decorated before baking by slicing red candied cherries to make smile, and small currants or ½ raisins for hands, feet and buttons and eyes.)