Soft and Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies

If you have yet to do any holiday baking like me, here's a recipe to try out: Soft and Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies. I had visions of making at least three different kinds of sweet treats, but I just finished my Christmas shopping yesterday, so I was feeling like I needed to ratchet down the dream just a tad. But I wanted to try out a new recipe... Luckily, during my last minute shopping yesterday, I was reminded of a ginger molasses cookie that a local chain of coffee shops (Carmel Valley Roasting Company) makes, and that I have wanted to emulate for years. The sweet caramel-y-ness (is that a word?) of the molasses mixed with the bite of the ginger makes the flavor perfect for this season!

Here's the recipe:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
• In a medium size bowl, combine the following dry ingredients:e2 1/4 c all-purpose flour; 2 t ground ginger; 1 t baking soda; 3/4 t ground cinnamon; 1/2 t ground nutmeg; 1/4 t salt. Set aside.
• With a standing or hand-held mixer, cream together 3/4 c butter (a sick and a half) and 1 cup white sugar until light and fluffy. 
• Beat in one egg.
• Stir in 1/4 c molasses and 1 T water.
• Gradually stir in the dry ingredients, about 1/4 to 1/3 at a time, until just combined. 
• Shape dough into walnut sized ball (I did this my rolling it in my palms), and then roll them in 4 T of white sugar.
• Place them 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet, and bake for 12 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges. 

We enjoyed ours last night after a dinner of leftover roasted chicken and butternut squash soup, courtesy of the Big Sur Bakery Cookbook. I am planning on giving some of the cookies away to my dad's family and to our friends hosting a holiday cocktail party tonight. I will try to take some pics of how I package them up to give away. 

Happy baking and eating! 

Recipe adapted from Allrecipes.com

Oh, and we are going house hunting for the first time tomorrow! We are so excited. Can't wait to share some pics and details!