COOKIES - MOLASSES SPICE COOKIES

Makes forty 2 1/2-inch cookies

¾ cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter

2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned in and leveled

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

¾ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground cloves

2 cups sugar, divided

¼ cup dark molasses

1 large egg

MAKE THE DOUGH

Melt the butter in a 3-quart, heavy saucepan over low heat.  Cool to tepid.

Strain together three times the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and cloves.  Set aside.

Using a wooden spoon, stir 1 ½ cups of the sugar, the molasses, and egg into the butter, mixing until smooth.  Add the dry ingredients, one-half at a time, and blend well.  Cover with wax paper and chill for 30 to 45 minutes, until firm.

BAKE THE COOKIES

Position the shelves in the upper and lower third of the oven.  Heat the oven to 375F.  Moderately butter the cookie sheets. 

Shape the dough into 1-inch balls between the palms of your hands.  Place the remaining ½ cup of sugar in a shallow dish and roll the balls of dough in the sugar.  Place the balls 2 inches apart on the cookie sheets.

Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the tops begin to crack.  Toward the end of baking time, rotate the pans from top to bottom and front to back.  Remove from the oven and let stand for 2 to 3 minutes.  Loosen with a thin metal spatula and transfer to cooling racks. 

STORAGE

Store in an airtight container, layered between strips of wax paper, for up to 3 weeks.  These cookies may be frozen.

MY NOTE:   (1) Make sure that the cookie dough is well chilled before baking (2) The cookie balls should be placed at least 4 inches apart because 2 inches might be too close and the cookies might fuse together. 

From Great Cookies by Carole Walter.