Period Receipts: Molasses Gingerbread 1798

From American Cookery, or the art of dressing viands, fish, poultry, and vegetables, and the best modes of making pastes, puffs, pies, tarts, puddings, custards, and preserves, and all kinds of cakes, from the imperial plum to plain cake: Adapted to this country, and all grades of life.
By Amelia Simmons
Hartford: Printed for Simeon Butler, Northampton, (1798)





One table spoon of cinnamon, some coriander or allspice, put to four tea spoons pearl ash, dissolved in half pint of water, four pound flour, one quart molasses, four ounces butter (if in summer rub the butter, if in winter warm the butter and molasses and pour to the spiced flour), knead well till stiff, the more the better, the lighter and whiter it will be; bake brisk fifteen minutes; don't scorch; before it is put in wash it with egg whites and sugar beat together.