- 3/4 cup bacon fat (from 1 1/2 to 2 pounds bacon), at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar, plus 1/4 cup for rolling
- 1/4 cup molasses (not blackstrap) or cane syrup, such as Steen's or Lyle's
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Combine all the ingredients in a food processor, and pulse until a smooth, stiff dough forms. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for a few hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Put the 1/4 cup sugar in a shallow bowl. Breaking off 1-tablespoon lumps, roll the dough into balls, drop into the sugar, roll to coat, and place 2 inches apart on the baking sheets.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cookies are dark brown. Let cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.