Gingerbread Cookies

It’s December! Oh, how I love this month. I love it all – the baking, the shopping, the wrapping, the parties, Christmas concerts and productions, listening to Christmas music, hanging out with family and friends. What could be better? Part of Christmas is gingerbread, right? These cookies are one of my favorites to make and to eat. They aren’t hard to make and they are truly wonderful.

Here’s what you’ll need: 2 1/4 c all-purpose flour, 2 t ginger, 3/4 t cinnamon, 1 t baking soda, 1/2 t cloves, 1/4 t salt, 3/4 c butter, 1 c sugar, 1 egg, 1 T water, 1/4 c molasses and 4 T sugar.

Preheat oven to 350. Mix together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and one cup of sugar until fluffy.

Beat in the egg, then stir in the water and molasses.

Combine the flour mixture with the butter mixture. Shape into balls (whatever size you want. I usually do about the size of a walnut). Put your remaining sugar into a bowl and roll the cookies in the sugar.

Place them on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. Allow them to cool on the cookie sheet for about five minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.