If you need me, I'll be in the kitchen ~ making these beauties

Do you ever eat a delicious holiday treat and wonder to yourself “why don’t I make this all year round?”  (I say that about pumpkin pie every Thanksgiving!)  You will love these and maybe they will become a holiday tradition for you!

Soft & Chewy Molasses Crinkles

1 c. sugar

¾ c. shortening

1 egg

¼ c. molasses

2 c. flour

1 ¾ teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon salt

Make the Cinnamon Sugar by stirring together:

¾ c. sugar

1 – 2 teaspoons cinnamon

With an electric mixer, cream together the sugar and shortening.  Add egg and beat until light and fluffy.  Add the molasses and mix until combined.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt.  Stir together. Mix the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture.

Chill the dough several hours or overnight.

After the dough has chilled, roll the chilled dough into 1” balls and then roll the balls in cinnamon sugar. Place the balls of dough onto an ungreased parchment lined baking sheet 2” apart (they will spread.)  Bake at 375° for  8 – 10 minutes.  Do not allow the cookies to brown or they will become hard!  Allow the cookies to remain on the baking sheet for 2 minutes after removing from the oven.  Then transfer cookies from the baking sheet with a metal spatula to a wire rack for cooling.