Aunt Lucille’s Christmas Cookies

My friend Pam Holland shared her Aunt Lucille’s recipe for cookies. Aunt Lucille was raised in Pulaski, Virginia, with ten brothers and sisters. From the time she married, Lucille loved her life. She cared for her disabled daughter, Faye, who lived into her fifties. Not long after Faye passed away, Lucille left this earth too. Pam told me that most people would see her life and think Lucille had it pretty rough, but those closest to her would say she was always happy, garnering her greatest joy from her faith and her beloved daughter. These are her old-fashioned molasses cookies with crisp edges and chewy centers. Everyone who makes these cookies feels that they’ve been visited by sweet Aunt Lucille, and the memory of her wonderful laugh and sweet spirit lingers on.

3 sticks butter

1 cup molasses

2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

4½ cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cloves

Additional sugar for coating

In the bowl of an electric mixer, or in a large bowl using a very strong spoon, beat the butter, molasses, sugar, and eggs. Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves and mix well. Cover and refrigerate the dough overnight or for at least 8 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and coat in sugar. bake on an ungreased baking sheet for 8 to 10 minutes.

Makes 7 dozen cookies