Makes 4 dozen cookies

INGREDIENTS

¾ cup unsalted butter or vegetable shortening
1 cup tightly packed light or dark brown sugar
1 egg
¼ cup dark molasses
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
½ tsp. ground cloves
¼ tsp. salt
Sugar, for topping

DIRECTIONS
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter or shortening with the brown sugar, until blended. 
  3. Mix in the egg and molasses. Combine the flour, soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt, and blend into the creamed mixture until the dough is stiff. If the dough is very soft, chill for 30 minutes. 
  4. Shape into balls the size of large walnuts. Dip tops in sugar and place dough balls, sugared side up, 3 inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheets. 
  5. Sprinkle each cookie with 2 to 3 drops of water to create a crackly surface. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until just set, not hard.

Tip: Dip dough balls in turbinado sugar to give the cookie extra sparkle and crunch!

Reprinted from Great Scandinavian Baking Book by Beatrice Ojakangas. Copyright 1988 by Beatrice Ojakangas. Published by the University of Minnesota Press. Used by permission.

Reprinted from Great Old-Fashioned American Desserts by Beatrice Ojakangas. Copyright 1987 by Beatrice Ojakangas. Published by the University of Minnesota Press. Used by permission.

Recipes include some edits, by permission from publisher.