Holy Bacon Cookies!

...And on that day it came to pass that the bacon fat jar runneth over, and did spill its grease upon the kitchen countertop, leaving a nasty puddle, and yea, there was no more room in the jar, and the children of the Lord dispaired, saying, "Our jar runneth over!  O, what shall we do with all this bacon fat?  We have fried our eggs and sauteed our brussels sprouts, yet still we have bacon fat to spare."  Then did the Lord speak unto His children, saying, "Bring forth the Trinity Episcopal Church Recipe Book, and find ye there Nelle Branson's Swedish Ginger Cookie recipe."  And the children of the Lord did as the Lord commanded them, and they did bake Nelle Branson's Swedish Ginger Cookies, and did not falter or sway from the recipe as it had been handed down unto them, for to substitute butter for the bacon fat is a blasphemy and a sin in the eyes of the Lord.  And when they had baked the cookies, and allowed them to cool, the children of the Lord ate of the cookies and rejoiced, saying, "Who is like unto Nelle Branson?  That Swedish Episcopalian really knew her way around a ginger cookie."  And thus did the children of the Lord grow fat and plentiful.

Swedish Ginger Cookies*

Adapted from Nelle Branson in the "Trinity Episcopal Church Recipe Book," 1982 edition.  Bacon fat can be substituted with 1 1/2 sticks of butter; for the authentic cookie, though, bacon fat is the key ingredient.  Makes 40 small cookies.


3/4 cup bacon fat, cooled (from 1 1/2 to 2 pounds bacon)
1 cup sugar, plus 1/4 cup for dusting the cookies
4 tablespoons dark molasses
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cream sugar and bacon fat.  Add egg and molasses.  Mix well and add the dry ingredients.  Mix.  Chill in the refrigerator for a few hours.  Form into small balls and roll in white sugar.  Flatten with fingers.

Bake in the oven for about 10-12 minutes until dark brown.  Let cool on baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a baking rack to finish cooling.


*This recipe, typed verbatim from a well-worn copy of a copy, was given to me by a pastry chef friend years ago and has become a staple of my cookie repertoire.  It's traditional, but just quirky and homespun enough to impress your bacon-loving foodie friends.