This is for Betty in ME , who in the 9/4/09 newsletter wanted recipes for roll out molasses cookies. This recipe is at least 90 years old, as my father and his sisters had these as children. Like the recipe that you described, this one did not originally have amounts for the flour as grand mom and mom just mixed in enough to make the cookie perfect. As I have made them, I have measured the flour needed. This is a good cookie recipe for anyone allergic to eggs. Grandmother and mom iced the cookies with a powdered sugar frosting and added sprinkles. At Christmas they would use Christmas cookie cutters, but the rest of the year they would use other cookie cutters, but you can simply use a biscuit cutter and make round cookies. This makes a large batch of cookies, so you may want to cut the recipe in half. Grandmother always kept some of the dough in the refrigerator for months at a time. You may need to slightly adjust the amount of flour, based on the size and juiciness of the lemon that you use.
Robbie IN

Lebkuken Cookies

1 pint of dark molasses (2 cups)
2 cups of Crisco or lard
1 cup chopped black walnuts or nut of your choice
1 grated lemon and its juice
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup of buttermilk
Flour to mix in to make cookie dough (7 ? cups or 3 ? cups for half batch)

Combine molasses and Crisco. Add lemon and lemon juice. Alternately add flour and buttermilk; then stir in nuts. Refrigerate 2 days before rolling out to make cookies. Use additional flour when rolling cookies, if the batter sticks to the rolling pin. Bake at 350 degrees on lightly greased cookie sheet for about 8 minutes, just lightly browned and turning a little lighter in color. Too long will be too hard, too little will be doughy.

If in doubt sample a slightly cooled cookie. Cool completely, then ice with your favorite frosting and add sprinkles, if desired.
Robbie IN

http://www.nancyskitchen.com