HamBob's Old-Fashioned Molasses Cookies

By Hklbrries

The first time we visited The Hamery, a bag of these delicious cookies was sitting by the register. They're our go-to molasses cookies now. They're super simple, and kids love them.

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To order HamBob's country ham, go to thehamery.com or call [phone]

"We're out of ham this year. Call back next year." This was the nonchalant recording you'd get from Bob "HamBob" Woods, owner of The Hamery, just a couple years ago when you called to order a holiday ham.

The Hamery was started in 1969 in Murfreesboron, TN, by Bob's uncle, veterinarian Sam Woods or "Little Doc" as he was known, and his cousin, Tom Givan. They missed the rich, salty flavor of country ham from the old days - when "Old Doc," Sam's father, cured his own hams.

Ten years later, The Hamery was passed on to Old Doc's granson Bob, who still cures ham according to Old Doc's 68-year-old recipe that hangs on the wall (along with blue ribbons from the Tennessee State Fair). Bob salts and sugars the hams and cools them in January. By mid-February they're washed and hung in nets to dry. A few weeks later, the hams are moved to a smoking room, where they hang over a smoldering fire of apple and hickory woods until late October.

Although The Hamery cures and smokes the old-fashioned way, Bob has recently gotten with the times. Due in part to the efforts of Jaymie Perry, the CEO (or "head ham," as Bob calls her), The Hamery now ships hams to chefs across the country and has bumped up production. The company even makes "Tennshootoe," Bob's Tennessee version of the paper-thin sliced Italian ham, prosciutto."

Editor, Relish magazine

Ingredients

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup molasses
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• Granulated or turbinado sugar, for dipping

Details

Servings 3

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs and molasses. Sift flour with cinnamon, baking soda, salt and ginger. Add to sugar mixture and mix well. Roll into balls the size of walnuts and coat with granulated or turbinado sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheets 2 inches apart. Bake 12 to 15 minutes.

Nutrition Information:
Per serving
160 calories
6 g fat
10 mg cholesterol
210 mg sodium
25 g carbohydrates
0 g fiber
2 g protein