Chewy Molasses Spice Cookies
From Cook's Illustrated February 2002, page 25 (awesome mag, I've made two recipes from it since Dec. and I hardly even cook!)
1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/2 cup for dipping
2 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened but still cool
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar (I used light brown)
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup light molasses
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat to 375. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Place 1/2 cup of sugar for dipping in a cake pan.
Whisk flour, baking soda, spices and salt in medium bowl until combined; set aside.
Beat butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy. The recipe calls for a mixer with a paddle attachment; I don't have one and this part is a pain in the rear with a regular mixer.....you are warned.
Add egg yolk and vanilla, beat to incorporate. Add molasses, beat to incorporate. Add flour and beat to incorporate. Give dough a final stir with a spatula to be sure all pockets of flour are gone.
Scoop dough one heaping tablespoon at a time. Roll into ball between hands. Drop into cake pan with sugar. Toss balls in sugar to coat and set on baking sheet.
Bake 11 minutes...don't put one sheet on bottom rack and one sheet on top....both together on one rack or bake one sheet at a time. Cookies will look raw and seem underdone BUT DON'T OVERBAKE. Cool cookies on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.
ClaudiaLB