Molasses Spice Cookies, called Pepparkakar in Sweden, are a lightly spiced molasses cookie with a crinkly, sugary top. These cookies are delicious any time of year, but there’s something about the cool days of fall and cold days of winter when this cookie seem very appealing. Enjoy with a steaming mug of hot chocolate or coffee or glass of cold milk; Molasses Spice cookies will warm you from head to toe

Molasses Spice Cookies

Ingredients:

Dough:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground cloves

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1½ cups granulated sugar

¼ cup molasses

1 large egg

Topping:

½ cup granulated sugar

Directions:

Dough:

1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves; whisk together to mix. Set aside.
   
   
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine melted and cooled butter, sugar, molasses, and egg. Using a wooden spoon, stir until the mixture is combined and smooth. Add the flour mixture and still until thoroughly blended.
   
   
3. Cover dough and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours or overnight.
   
   
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.   Prepare 2 large baking sheets; lightly grease with shortening, or line with parchment paper, or line with a non-stick baking mat.
   
   
5. Remove dough from refrigerator and shape all the dough into small balls, about 1” in diameter. Use enough balls to bake one pan of cookies (about 12) and keep remainder of balls in the refrigerator until ready to use. Tip: An ice cream scoop with a release mechanism is ideal for making uniform-sized cookies.
   
   Topping:
6. Place granulated sugar in a low, flat dish, such as a pie plate. Roll the balls in granulated sugar until completely coated.
   
   Bake: 
7. Place balls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake 8 to 9 minutes or until the cookies are puffed and the tops are just beginning to crack. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet 2 to 3 minutes, the cookies will flatten and larger cracks will form as they cool. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
   
    Makes about 4½ dozen cookies
   
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