These spicy cookies have an old-fashioned taste with a sugary cracked top.

Ingredients:

Dough:

¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

½ cup vegetable shortening

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

¼ cup light or dark molasses

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2¼ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground cloves

Topping:

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Directions:

Dough:

1. In a large bowl, combine butter, shortening, and brown sugar; cream together until mixture appears light and fluffy. Add egg, molasses and vanilla; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves; stir until mixed.
   
   
2. Cover dough and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
   
   
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease baking sheets, or line baking sheets with parchment paper.
   
   
4. Shape dough into small balls, about 1” in diameter. 
   
   Topping:
   
5. Dip the top of each ball into sugar.
   
   
6. Place balls, sugar side up, 3 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake 11 minutes or just until cookies are set. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet 1 minute. Remove cookies from baking sheets and finish cooling on wire racks.
   
   Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
   
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