Spicy Christmas Ginger Cookies

• 1/2 cup butter, softened (I used 1/2 applesauce and 1/2 butter)
• 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup soft diced gingerroot (cross btwn crystallized ginger and ginger in syrup. I use crystallized ginger minced very fine and u)
• 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup light molasses (I used dark molasses or a mix of 1/4 C molasses and 1/4 C corn syrup)

1. Cream butter, sugar, spices, salt and backing soda until well blended.
2. Beat in the egg and ginger, then the flour, alternating with the molasses.
3. Refrigerate the dough for several hours, or overnight; it needs to be stiff enough to handle easily.
4. Preheat the oven to 350u0b0F.
5. Roll half the dough about 1/4" thick on a floured surface (I mix flour with sugar in the raw). Cut into whatever shapes you like.
6. Transfer to an ungreased or parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. (I sprinkled some iwth sugar in the raw).
7. Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes until they're puffy, and the edges are firm.
8. 8. Remove from oven and cool on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.

butter, brown sugar, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, salt, baking soda, egg, gingerroot, flour, light molasses

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/spicy-christmas-ginger-cookies-318490 (may not work)