• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter

• 1 cup light brown sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 cup molasses

• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar

• 5 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons ground ginger

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

• 1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon cloves

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For glaze (optional):

• 3 cups powdered sugar

• 1/2 cup lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheets or use nonstick sheets.

Cream butter and sugar.

Add the eggs slowly, scraping as you go. Blend in molasses and vinegar.

Sift dry ingredients together. Add to wet mixture, blending only until combined well. Don't overmix. Divide dough into thirds, wrap in plastic wrap, refrigerate at least one hour.

Roll out dough on lightly floured board; cut as desired. Place on greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minute until crisp but not darkened.

While cookies are baking, blend powdered sugar and lemon juice to make glaze. Top hot cookies with glaze and cool on wire racks. Glaze will harden as it cools.

The following is Margaret Rudkin's recipe for gingerbread; she was the founder of Pepperidge Farms and her 1963 cookbook, "Margaret Rudkin's Pepperidge Farm Cookbook" is a baking classic. We have given it a more sophisticated spin by upping the heat with the addition of more ginger and additional warm flavorings. The result is a highly spiced, very moist cake, which can be baked in two 8-inch rounds or squares, two 7-inch loaves or in a single bundt cake pan.

Margaret Rudkin's Gingerbread Cake

• 1 cup molasses
• 1 1/2 cups boiling water

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 egg, well-beaten

• 3 cups flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2 tablespoons ground ginger

• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg or mace

• 1/2 teaspoon cloves or allspice

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter pans or spray with vegetable oil spray. Combine molasses with boiling water and soda. Allow to cool. Meanwhile, cream together butter and sugar.

Add eggs. Add molasses mixture to creamed mixture. Sift together flour, salt, spices and baking powder. Gradually blend into wet mixture. Pour into greased pans. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes; lower heat to 300 degrees for 20 minutes.

The cake is done if a skewer or broom straw comes out clean. Cool cakes on rack before turning out onto serving dish. Top with whipped cream, ice cream or a sprinkling of confectioner's sugar.