Tasty Tuesday ~ Molasses Crinkle Cookies

  Today was and still is spectacularly foggy, cold, and rainy, not to forget muddy and dreary, and it's exactly days like these that I love to bake something warm and oozing with delicious spices. I set out to the kitchen and about two hours later I am sitting back quite satisfied that not only did I discover one scrumptious cookie recipe, but also the gingerbread replacement for this Christmas since my Mum banned gingerbread cookies from ever being made again. (No one likes them, so it's not like anyone is suffering because of her decree.)

Molasses Crinkle Cookies

1 1/4 cups butter, softened
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
2 eggs
4 cups flour
4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp ginger
white sanding sugar

In a large bowl beat together the butter and the brown sugar. Vigorously beat in the eggs and molasses till smooth. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. Gradually add in the flour mix to the wet ingredients, mixing well till a smooth, soft dough forms. Use a cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons) to form round balls of the dough. This step was particularly fun for me since it was pretty much the adult activity of playing with play dough. Gently press the cookie balls into white sanding sugar till they have flattened to about half the size of the original cookie ball. Bake the cookies one inch apart on a parchment covered cookie sheet at a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. Let the cookies set for about a minute once you have pulled them from the oven so that the crinkles can set, then move them to a wire rack. These are delicious with a glass of cold milk, or a cup of hot cocoa depending on your mood.