Soft Molasses Cookies

• Soft Molasses Cookies
• 
  
• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. cloves
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 1/3 cup firmly-packed light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/2 cup dark molasses
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• red and green colored sugar

Preparation:

1. Whisk, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt together in a medium bowl.


2. In a large bowl, beat, with an electric mixer, butter and shortening until fluffy. Beat in sugars until creamy.


3. Beat in egg yolk, molasses and vanilla until incorporated.


4. Gradually, add flour mixture, beating on low speed, until combined. Wrap dough in plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour.


5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place red and green colored sugars in separate bowls.


6. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in either red or green colored sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheets, 1-1/2 inches apart. Bake 8-11 minutes until cookies are firm at the edges, but still a little soft on top.


7. Transfer to wire racks to cool molasses cookies completely.

Makes 36-40 soft molasses cookies.

Freezing cookies for the holidays? These soft molasses cookies can easily be frozen. Just follow the directions through step 4, but instead of putting the molasses cookie dough in the refrigerator, shape into 1-inch balls, and place on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet (no need to leave much space between the cookies -- about 1/2-inch will do). Freeze for 1 hour. Transfer cookies to a tightly-sealed container (such as a gallon-sized zipper-sealed plastic bag and freeze.) When ready to bake, thaw the molasses cookie dough in the refrigerator, then roll in colored sugar, and bake as directed.

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