Recipe: Soft Ginger Cookies (3) - Recipes for Linda!

Soft Spice Cookies With Vanilla Icing

1 cup raisins
boiling water
3/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup unsifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cups quick or old-fashioned rolled oats

Icing:
1/4 cup soft butter
3 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons milk

Cover raisins with boiling water and let stand for 10 minutes. Drain well.

In bowl, cream shortening with brown sugar until light.

Beat in eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Combine flour, baking powder and soda, salt, and spices; blend into the creamed mixture along with the milk. Mix well. Stir in oats and the drained raisins.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheets. Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 15 minutes, or until nicely browned. Remove to racks.

Combine icing ingredients until smooth. Add a bit more milk or more confectioners' sugar if necessary for a good spreading consistency. Spread icing over cookies while still warm.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
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GINGER COOKIES

3/4 c. melted shortening
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. molasses
1 egg
2 tsp. baking soda
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix all ingredients well. Chill thoroughly. Form into 1 inch balls and roll in granulated sugar. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Do not overbake.
Makes 4 dozen.

Tip: To keep homemade cookies soft and chewy, store in an airtight container with a slice of bread. When the bread becomes hard, exchange it for a fresh slice. Your cookies will stay fresh.
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Gingerbread Cookies
Yield: 30 Servings

1/2 c vegetable shortening
1/3 c packed light brown sugar
1/4 c dark molasses
1 egg white
1/2 ts vanilla
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 ts baking soda
1/4 ts baking powder
1/2 ts salt
1 ts ground cinnamon
1/2 ts ground ginger

Beat shortening, brown sugar, molasses, egg white and vanilla in large bowl at high speed of electric mixer until smooth. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices in small bowl. Add to shortening mixture; mix well. Cover; refrigerate until firm, about 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease cookie sheets. Rool out dough on lightly floured surface to 1/8" thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie. cutters. Place on prepared cookie sheets.

Bake 6-8 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove to wire racks; cool completely. Deocrate as desired.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.