• First, combine baking soda with milk and set aside
• In a large saucepan, melt margarine, sugar, syrup, and molasses, stirring until dissolved
• Remove from heat and add soda/milk mixture. This will be bubbly. Set aside to cool slightly.
• Separately, combine dry ingredients and stir half into the saucepan mixture. Then add eggs and vanilla and stir to combine
• Add rest of dry ingredients. Add nuts if desired.
• Mix thoroughly, shape into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Chill for an hour or up to several days.
• Take small portions (baseball sized) and roll into a long rope on a mat or cutting board and cut into uniform pieces.
• Place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, allowing a little bit of room for rising.
• Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Adjust time a minute or two as needed.
• If you choose to roll out a 1/4" flat and make cut-out cookies, dip your cookie cutter into a bowl of powdered sugar to aid in the dough releasing from the cutter. Bake cut-outs for 8-9 minutes.

Recipe Notes:

• Nuts: use finely chopped pecans or walnuts. Be sure they are chopped well so you are able to roll out the dough. It is fine to leave them out.
• The dough will be sticky, then when you refrigerate, it becomes easier to handle. Don't add a lot of flour, because then the baked cookies will be too hard.
• This is a large recipe. Since it has two eggs, it is easy recipe to cut it in half.
• When rolling out the dough for cut out gingerbread men, use a light dusting of powdered sugar instead of flour to provide easier release. Also, tap the cookie cutter into a dish of powdered sugar before each cut. The touch of sweetness is nice and eliminates the dough becoming over floured 
• These are good served with Pumpkin Dip or Pumpkin Mousse