GINGERBREAD CRINKLE COOKIES

MAKES 4 DOZEN COOKIES

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

½ cup fancy molasses

2½ cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp ground ginger

1½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp fine sea salt

¼ tsp each: ground cloves and ground nutmeg

½ cup granulated sugar Icing sugar, for rolling

Preheat the oven to 325°F and line two baking trays with parchment paper; set aside.

Cream the butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl by hand for about 1 minute, until lighter in colour and smooth. Beat in the egg, then the molasses.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, cloves and nutmeg. Add all at once to the butter mixture, stirring until thoroughly blended, then stir in the granulated sugar just until combined.

Use a small ice cream scoop or two teaspoons to shape the batter into balls. Roll the balls in the icing sugar to coat and place them on the prepared baking trays, 2 inches apart. Gently press down on the cookies with the palm of your hand to flatten.

Bake until the cookies have puffed up and appear set at the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Carefully smack the trays down on the countertop to deflate the cookies (and get the crackle effect). Let cool on the trays for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.