Molasses cookie of your dreams

SO I had some leftover ginger sugar from a doughnut fry. What is a girl to do? I couldn’t throw it out, but I didn’t want to just stick it in the baking cabinet to sit and wait for me to remember it is in there. I kept thinking back to molasses cookies rolled in the ginger sugar.Ta da- Perfect cookie to go with a cup of tea! Happy cooking!

Molasses Cookie with ginger sugar     Yield: about 36 1 1/2 inch cookies

8 oz. unsalted butter, softened          3 cups flour (GF blend did not work!)

1/2 cup sugar                                     1 tsp baking soda

1 egg                                                 1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup molasses                               3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/3 cup hot water                                1/2 tsp ground ginger

1.) In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until you have no butter lumps. Add in the egg, mix, and add in the molasses. Mix until it is all combined. Scrap down the sides of the bowl as you need to. If you are using a mixer, use the paddle attachment.

2.) Add in half of your flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix until combined. Pour in the hot water and carefully incorporate it in. The last of your flour goes in, again remember to scrape down the sides of the bowl. You will have a pretty thin cookie dough-don’t worry! Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

3.) While the dough is chilling, make your ginger sugar. In a small bowl, mix 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger. Set aside. Line 3 or 4 baking pans with parchment paper.

4.) Preheat oven to 350*. After the dough has chilled, portion them into balls about 1 inch across. Roll each ball in the ginger sugar to cover it and place about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes, depending on the size of your balls. The bigger the ball the longer the cooking time. You will see them crackle on top as they bake. The edges will be form but the middle will remain soft.

5.) These cookies are best the day they are baked, but you can freeze the dough if you only want a few cookies! They will last a week in an air tight container, but they soften the longer they sit. Let them cool completely on the parchment before storing them.