Isabel's Soft Ginger, Sparkle Cookies

These cookies are a staple around our house all year long but always a request at Christmas...the comforting aroma of ginger and molasses wofting from the kitchen when these are baking, warms the soul...and fills the belly when one scarfs down balls of raw dough! (which is delicious, by the way!)

To make these little wafers of deliciousness, you will need 1/2 of a cup of softened butter and 1/4 cup of softened shortening...in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, (or with hand beaters) cream the butter and shortening together...

Next, add 1/3 of a cup of granulated sugar,

1/3 of a cup of packed brown sugar...beat until light and fluffy.

Add 1 egg yolk,

...a 1/2 cup of molasses,

then, beat until combined.

In a separate, medium sized bowl, combine 2 1/4 cups of all purpose flour,

1 tsp. baking soda, 1 1/2 tsps. of cinnamon, 2 tsps. ginger, 1/2 tsp. cloves and 1/4 tsp. of salt

Dump the flour mixture into the butter/molasses batter, then turn your mixer on to the lowest setting until the flour is incorporated...otherwise there will be a mushroom cloud of flour in your face!

Your dough should look like this and tastes divine raw...I can't stop myself!

Scoop out tbsp. sized chunks of dough, then roll into balls...

...and dip them into granulated sugar for that "sparkle" effect.

Repeat process until all dough balls are ipped in sugar, then place on a parchment lined cookie sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart.

Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 10-12 minutes or until cookies crack and the edges look set...the cookies may seem under baked at this point but they will continue to cook when removed from the oven...nobody wants to chip a front tooth on overbaked cookies...not a good look for family Christmas photos!

Let cookies sit on baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to wire cooling racks.

Enjoy these soft and chewy cookies warm from the oven with a cold glass of milk or straight outta the cookie jar for a quick treat...*note...when packing these cookies in lunch pails, they must be wrapped in waxed paper because that's what June Cleaver would use!

Isabel's Soft Ginger, Sparkle Cookies

1/2 cup of softened butter

1/4 cup of shortening

1/3 cup of granulated sugar (plus 1/4 more sugar for dipping dough balls in)

1/3 cup of brown sugar, packed

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup of molasses

2 1/4 cup of all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsps. cinnamon

2 tsps. ginger

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. salt

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and shortening...beat in the sugars until light and fluffy...add the egg yolk and molasses and continue to beat until combined. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, soda, salt and spices, then stir with a fork until combined. Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture and stir until all is combined and a soft dough forms. Break off tbsp. sized chunks, roll them into balls and dip into a dish of granulated sugar...place 1 1/2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated 375 oven for 10-12 minutes or until the tops begin to crack and edges are set...they may look under done but will continue to bake once removed from the oven. Let cookies sit on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to wire cooling racks..store in an airtight container. Makes about 2 dozen cookies...Enjoy!