Molasses Cookies

I LOVE ginger cookies and had been on the lookout for a fabulous recipe for quite some time. I found this one a couple of years ago and it has become a favorite. It is perfectly chewy on the inside with a little crisp ring around the outside. When I made them with my kids last week, I had a very proud parenting moment. I had my 5-year-old smell the ginger and asked her what spice it was. Without hesitation she smiled and said, "Ginger!" That's my girl! 

Molasses Cookies

1 cup butter, soft

2 3/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup molasses

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

a pinch of allspice, nutmeg and cloves

extra sugar for rolling

Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add molasses, eggs, and vanilla. Sift together remaining dry ingredients and add, mixing until just combined. Refrigerate dough at least a half hour. Shape dough into balls, roll in sugar, and place on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 15-18 minutes at 275°F or until cookies are cracked on top. Cool on the sheet.