FROSTED GINGER COOKIES

3/4 cup softened butter (1 1/2 sticks)
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, beaten
3 tbs molasses***
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves (see note)
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 cups (packed)flour

***if you spray your tablespoon with pam or other nonstick cooking spray, the molasses will slide right out without sticking.

NOTE: THE GROUND CLOVES CAN BE OMITTED FOR THOSE WHO DON'T LIKE CLOVES.

GLAZE
1 cup 10x sugar
1 tsp lemon juice

preheat oven to 350°, rack in the middle position.

in a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the butter & the sugar. beat the mixture until it's light & fluffy.

mix in the beaten egg. add the molasses & stir until the mixture is uniform in color.

add the baking soda & the salt & stir well.

sprinkle in the ground ginger, cinnamon, ground cloves (if using), & ground nutmeg. stir until they're thoroughly mixed in.

stir in one cup of flour, mix it all up, & then mix in the second cup of flour.

measure out 1/4 cup sugar & place it in a shallow bowl. you'll use this bowl to coat dough balls with sugar. when the sugar gets low, add more as needed

break off pieces of dough & roll them into 1" balls. roll the dough balls in the sugar & place them on a cookie sheet that has been greased or sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. place the dough balls in four rows with three in each row to make 12 per cookie sheet. press them down slightly so they won't roll off on the way to the oven.

bake the ginger cookies at 350° for 10 minutes. cool for 2 minutes on the cookie sheet & then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

when the cookies are cool, make the glaze.

combine the 10x sugar with the lemon juice. if it's too thick to drizzle, stir in a bit more lemon juice. if it's too thin, add a bit more 10x sugar. when it's just right, drizzle the tops of the cooled cookies with the glaze.

let the glaze dry before you store the cookies in a cookie jar. the glaze should be dry in 20-30 minutes.

makes 6-7 dozen cookies, depending on cookie size

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