Nauvoo Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon baking soda 
• 2  eggs 
• 6 cups flour all-purpose
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1.5 teaspoons ground ginger 
• 1 cup blackstrap molasses 
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 0.5 cup water hot
• 1 cup sugar white
• 0.8 cup lard 
• 0.8 cup lard 

Equipment

• bowl
• baking sheet
• oven
• cookie cutter

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, molasses, lard, and hot water until smooth. Stir in eggs.
2. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger; stir into the batter to make a soft dough.
3. Add more flour if needed. Cover the bowl and refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour, or until firm.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
5. Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness on a floured surface.
6. Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters.
7. Place cookies onto ungreased baking sheets.
8. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cookies appear dry in the center.