The Yummiest Old-Fashioned Molasses Drop Cookies

These cookies have the wonderful taste of days gone by, just like your grandma used to make!!

Old Fashioned Molasses Drop Cookies

Ingredients;
1/2 cup shortening,butter or margarine
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
2 1/2 cups flour
1 egg
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Cream shortening and sugar. (I use a small hand mixer.) Add molasses. Add well-beaten egg. (This is when I add the raisins.) Sift the dry ingredients and add alternately with the milk. Stir the mixture just enough to blend all the ingredients. Drop by teaspoonfuls on cookie sheets (greased). Bake for approximately ten minutes in a 350°F oven. Test for doneness by pressing on the top of a cookie. If no imprint remains, the cookies are done. Yield: about three dozen 2 1/2 inch cookies. I sprinkle sugar on them before baking, or dust with powdered sugar after baking.