Soft Ginger Cookies

This week was so hectic with skating party, band concert and tests for kids.  I was uncertain about adding a post this week, but when I saw an invitation for the Cookie party from Lifescoops I felt the energy vibe and thought to bake something so that it can go for the Cookie party as well as can be a snack for kids. 

     Years ago, a friend of mine made these cookies and brought it to work.  It was a delight with the perfect combination of spices and flavor of ginger.  Obviously I got the recipe from her for Soft Ginger cookies.  Since then I make it every year during the holiday seasons.  I take it to the family gatherings every Christmas and it is a big hit.  Soft Ginger cookies are very soft as the name suggests and is spiced up with Ginger, Cinnamon and Nutmeg and Cloves.   These spiced cookies can be a great treat to welcome the vivid fall.

     You can pack them in decorative cookie boxes or jars and it can be a great holiday gift.

Yields – 30 cookies

Ingredients

2 ¼ cups - all-purpose flour
1 tbsp - ground ginger
1 tsp - baking soda
¾ tsp - ground cinnamon
½ tsp - ground cloves

½ tsp - ground nutmeg
¾ cup - butter, softened
3/4 cup - sugar
1 - egg
¼ cup - molasses

½ tsp - salt
¼ cup – sugar

Directions

• Pre-heat oven to 350 F.
• In a medium bowl, combine the sifted flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Keep it aside.
• In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter for 30 seconds. Beat in the 3/4 cup sugar. Add egg and molasses; beat well. Stir flour mixture into egg mixture and using a rubber spatula mix it well.
• Shape dough into 1 inch balls, using about 1 heaping tablespoon of dough for each. Roll balls in the ¼ cup sugar to coat. Place balls about 2 - 3 inches apart on ungreased or parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.

• Plop them into the oven for 8 - 9 minutes or until light brown and still puffed (do not over bake). Cool cookies on cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
• Store them in air tight container.

Notes

• Make sure the butter is at room temperature and just soft enough to mix.  Don't melt   the butter in microwave.
• If the dough appears to be sticky, add 1-2 tsp of flour to the dough or refrigerate the dough for 30 mins. 
• I used a fork to make the design on the cookies.  Press the fork on the rolled balls till it flattens little bit and make another print crisscross to the previous print.