4CupsAll Purpose Flour PLUS approx 1 cup extra flour
½tsp.salt
1tsp. Ground Cloves
1tsp. Ginger
1tsp. Cinnamon
3tsp. Baking Soda
Zest of 2 Clementines or 1 Orange
2CupsRaisins
TablespoonJuice of 2 Clementines or 1 juice from an orange of using.
1TablespoonMorgan's Spiced Rumyou can use Rum flavouring if you don't want alcohol
Instructions
Soak the raisins in boiling water for 10 minutes, then drain very well. Once drained, add the clementine / orange zest and juice to the raisins and rum if using. Combine well and leave to soak whilst you start on the cookies. (soaking the raisins overnight in the orange mix is even better!)
Mix well in a large bowl the eggs and sugar.
Then Add Crisco OIL (or Wesson) and Molasses
(I put the molasses in the measuring unit that I put the oil in, and makes it slip right out)
Add the raisins and liquid to the egg & sugar mixture. Combine.
I use my stand mixer and then, Mix these ingredients below together, and add them slowly to the bowl, while mixer is running very slow :- flour, salt, cloves. ginger, cinnamon and baking Soda.
At this point, you may need to add the extra flour until the cookie dough becomes stiff enough to roll into balls. Use your judgement here. Every brand of flour is different and also how much liquid your raisins have absorbed. 6. Important: let stand for 15-20 min.
Form into balls (about 1 inch rounds). Put granulated sugar in a wide short bowl, Roll in the sugar, placing them on cookie sheets (UNgreased). I only put 9 to a sheet.
Bake on UNgreased cookie sheet for 10 min., @ 350 degrees. Let set only 1 min. & then Carefully (very carefully) with a large thin spatula. remove to a rack to cool.
Make a lovely cup of tea and enjoy a cookie or two!