Chewy Molasses Cookies*

*I found this recipe on Page 97 in the December 2014 issue of Cooking Light. It was marked as the "Staff Fave"--I think it's now mine, too!  It reminds me of the "trimmings" I had when I made up gingerbread houses--  now, I can have that taste without the work of assembling/decorating houses.

Yield:  24 Cookies (If you make use just 1.5 tablespoons dough to form each cookie.)

After I made these cookies the first time, I knew I would want to make more cookies at a time-- so the number in parenthesis below is the quantity I used to "4 X" this recipe today.

INGREDIENTS:

1 and 3/4 cups fluffed/leveled all-purpose flour (7 cups)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (4 tsp.)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda (2 tsp.)

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (2 tsp.)

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves (2 tsp.)

1/4 teaspoon baking powder (1 tsp.)

1/4 teaspoon salt (1 tsp.)

...........

6 tablespoons butter, softened (3/4 lb., or 3 sticks)

5 tablespoons granulated sugar (20 tablespoons)

1/4 cup dark brown sugar (1 cup)

............

1 large egg (4 eggs)

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1/4 cup molasses (1 cup)

..........

3 tablespoons granulated sugar to roll dough balls in before baking (12 tablespoons, but 10 Tbsp. was plenty)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.  
2. Combine the flour and next 6 ingredients (through the salt) in a bowl, stirring with a whisk.
3. Place butter, first amount of granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a mixing bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 5 minutes or until fluffy. 
4. Add egg; beat 30-seconds.
5. Add molasses; beat just until combined.
6. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat at low speed or just until combines.  
7. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes (longer is fine!)
8. Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
9. Shape dough into balls and roll in the second amount of granulated sugar (my dough balls were about 1.5 inches across.
10. Place 2-inches apart on baking sheets covered with parchment paper.  
11. Bake at 350-degrees for 12-13 minutes or just until set. 

      12.  Cool 3 minutes on pan; remove to a wire rack.

Some part of me wanted to drizzle some 

icing on the tops of these

tasty gems-- for "just because".  BUT,... I 

managed to RESIST that urge!!!!

(They do NOT need any extra goodness 

added to what they already are!)

After they cooled, I put them in my

"usual" cookie place-- my enameled

cast iron cookware and covered them.