| 1 Cup Packed Brown Sugar | 1/3 Cup Shortening |
| 1 1/2 Cup Dark Molasses | 2/3 cup Cold Water |
| 7 Cups flour | 2 tsp baking soda |
| 2 tsp ground ginger | 1 tsp salt |
| 1 tsp ground allspice | 1 tsp ground cloves |
| 1 tsp ground cinnamon |
Mix Brown Sugar, Shortening, Molasses and Water Stir in remaning ingredients Cover for at least 2 hours Heat oven to 350F Roll dough 1/2 inch thick on floured board Cut with floured cookie cutters Place 2 inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheets Bake untul no indentations remain when touched (about 10-12 minutes) Decorate as desired. (makes ~ 2 1/2 dozen)