Spicy Christmas Ginger Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened (I used 1/2 applesauce and 1/2 butter)
• 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup soft diced gingerroot (cross btwn crystallized ginger and ginger in syrup. I use crystallized ginger minced very fine and u)
• 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup light molasses (I used dark molasses or a mix of 1/4 C molasses and 1/4 C corn syrup)

Directions

1. 1

   Cream butter, sugar, spices, salt and backing soda until well blended.

2. 2

   Beat in the egg and ginger, then the flour, alternating with the molasses.

3. 3

   Refrigerate the dough for several hours, or overnight; it needs to be stiff enough to handle easily.

4. 4

   Preheat the oven to 350°F.

5. 5

   Roll half the dough about 1/4" thick on a floured surface (I mix flour with sugar in the raw). Cut into whatever shapes you like.

6. 6

   Transfer to an ungreased or parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. (I sprinkled some iwth sugar in the raw).

7. 7

   Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes until they're puffy, and the edges are firm.

8. 8

   8. Remove from oven and cool on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.