Soft Molasses Cookies

Steps

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, molasses and vanilla and beat until smooth.
3. Add the flour mixture on low speed and mix just until no dry flour remains. The dough will be soft.
4. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until the dough is firm enough to roll into balls, about 1 hour.
5. Heat the oven to 350°F. Line two 13-by-18-inch baking sheets with parchment paper and put the rolling sugar in a shallow bowl.
6. Scoop the dough into 1 1/2-tablespoon portions, roll them into balls and coat them in the sugar. Space them 2 1/2 inches apart, about 12 to a pan.
7. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, one pan at a time. Take them out once the sugary tops have crackled and the rims look dry, even though the middles still seem underbaked; they firm up as they cool.
8. Leave them on the pan for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack.

Good to know

• Make the dough up to 2 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Or freeze the sugar-coated balls for up to 3 months and bake them from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes.
• Sealed in a tin or container on the counter, the baked cookies stay soft for up to 5 days. They also freeze well for up to 3 months.
• Coarse sanding sugar or turbinado sugar gives the tops more sparkle and crunch than granulated sugar.