Gingerbread Cookies from Nauvoo

Scovil's Gingerbread Cookies

(From Scovil Bakery in Nauvoo, Illinois)

Lucius Scovil joined the church in 1837 in Kirtland, Ohio. He and his family were faithful members of the church who followed the migration of the early Saints. He served his first mission a month after he was baptized. He made 5 trips from Kirtland to Missouri helping other families make the difficult journey. His family finally settled in Nauvoo, Illinois where they faced sickness and trials. He oversaw the construction of the Masonic Hall, served in the Nauvoo Legion, and built and ran the Scovil Bakery.
Lucius lost 2 children and his wife along the Mormon trial. He shortly received a mission call to England and had to make the difficult choice to leave his children, parentless and along on the prairie, to serve. To earn money for his family while he served, Lucius sketched the Nauvoo Temple and turned it into a plate which was popular among the Saints. The decision to leave his children was difficult, especially at such a uncertain time for the Saints. Of this decision, Lucius wrote:

"This seemed like a painful duty for me to perform, to leave my family to go into the wilderness and I to turn and go the other way. It cost me all that I had on this earth ... (but) I thought it was best to round up my shoulders like a bold soldier of the crop .. and assist in rolling forth the kingdom of God."  

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1 cup molasses

3/4 cup oil or lard

1/2 cup hot water

2 eggs

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 heaping tsp ginger

6-7 cups flour (use 1/3 whole wheat)

Combine sugar, molasses, oil or lard, and hot water. 

Rinse molasses out of cup with hot water.

Add the eggs and mix.

Mix together the baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and flour. Then combine to molasses mixture.

Refrigerate dough. Roll out and cut with cookie cutter.

Bake at 350^oF for 10 minutes.