Grandma's Molasses Cookies

First let me preface this by saying this is not my grandma's recipe. I have no idea who's grandma's recipe this is to be honest. I found this recipe in a local church cookbook that my mom gave me, and all this recipe said was "Grandma's Molasses Cookies." This is just a simple cookbook, so there were no photos or descriptions. Just a compilation of some good ole' tried and true recipes.

I have to admit, halfway during the mixing process I had serious trepidations about the recipe. When you add the water to the batter, everything just starts looking weird. The shortening separates from everything else and it just looks, well, not normal. But I kept on with the recipe because I was sure that grandma wouldn't steer me wrong.

And I was right! These cookies came out great! They were wonderfully spiced, big, thick, soft cookies. My husband and I really enjoyed these - and they'd be great on a Christmas cookie tray!

Ingredients
Source: Local Church Cookbook

1 cup sugar
1 cup shortening
1 egg
1 cup molasses
1 cup cold water
3 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. salt
5 cups flour

Directions
Cream sugar and shortening together. Add eggs, molasses, baking soda and water (this is when the mixture got weird). Mix together. Add cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt and flour and mix. Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.