Soft Gingersnaps

This is one of my favorite cookies.  I’ve always liked gingersnaps, but this one has plusses; it’s soft and chewy (if “soft” and ginger”snap” aren’t too much an oxymoron), the spices are mild, and (wait for it …) its b-u-t-t-e-r-y!  Oh, yeah.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions:
Cream butter; add sugar gradually.  Beat until fluffy.  Add egg and molasses; blend.  Stir together flour, soda, salt and spices; blend into butter mixture.  Roll small portions of dough into balls the size of walnuts  I use a melon baller – they sell tiny little ice cream lookin’ scoops just for the purpose in the specialty cooking stores, but I’m cheap.  Roll in granulated sugar, place on lightly greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.  Bake at 350º 8 to 10 minutes or until they have melted and puffed.  For crisper cookies, bake until they have flattened.  Cookies bake down to form perfect rounds with traditional gingersnap cracks on top.  Careful not to over-bake them, or they won’t be soft and chewy.

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