In the midst of the holidays, and celebrating the end of midterms season, nothing is more comforting than a perfectly spiced, sweet treat. While some may prefer the more popular crunchy, man-shaped biscuits, these ginger molasses cookies are their perfect chewy counterpart. Make these to share with friends and family, or finish off a dozen by yourself in front of the TV; don’t worry, the cookies won’t judge. 

Ingredients: 

• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) room-temperature butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• ¼ cup molasses
• 2 tablespoons white sugar (for decoration)

Directions:

1. Beat together room temperature butter and white sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy (around three to five minutes)
2. Add in egg, and mix again, stopping once the batter takes on a lighter shade
3. Add in molasses and water, mix for around 30 seconds

**Pro tip: coat measuring cup with oil before measuring molasses to transfer easily**

1. In a separate bowl, add remaining dry ingredients and sift to ensure no clumps or lumps
2. Add dry ingredients into the wet, and mix with spatula until incorporated. Do not overmix.
3. Scoop batter with an ice cream scoop, place onto sheet pan, and store in fridge for at least 20 minutes, or until hard
4. Preheat oven to 330 degrees, convection if available
5. Place remaining sugar into a bowl, and coat the chilled cookies with the sugar
6. Place cookies 2-3 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment, and bake for 12-14 minutes (shorter for smaller cookies, longer for larger cookies)
7. Once baked, place the cookies on a cooling rack and let stand for at least 20 minutes