Molasses Cookies

One of our favorite Christmas traditions is making Molasses Cookies. I mix up the dough and then the kids help me roll it into balls and then roll the balls in sugar.

I suspect the main reason that the kids love to help is that I let them lick the sugar from their fingers when we're finished!

I got this recipe from a good friend whose mother always made them for the holidays when we were growing up. Here's the recipe if you want to make them yourself:

Molasses Cookies

3/4 C shortening

1 C sugar

1/4 C molasses

1 egg

2 tsp. baking soda

2 C flour

1/2 tsp. cloves

1/2 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

Melt shortening in a large glass mixing bowl in the microwave on low power; allow to cool. Add sugar, molasses, and egg; beat well. Add flour, soda, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, and salt. Form dough into one inch balls and roll balls in granulated sugar. Place on cookie sheet 2" apart. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. Enjoy!

Here are the cookies ready to go into the oven:

And the finished product:

My food photography skills are lacking, but these are very pretty and delicious cookies. If you bake them just the right amount of time, they're crisp on the outside and soft on the inside - YUM!