1/4teaspoonfine sea salt, reduce to 1/8 tsp if using salted butter
1/2cupunsalted butter, at room temperature
1cuplight brown sugar, packed
1largeegg, at room temperature
1/2cupfancy molasses, not blackstrap
1/2cupgranulated sugar
Icing/confectioners' sugar, for rolling
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Instructions
Remove your butter and egg from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.
Preheat oven to 325F (regular bake setting/not fan assisted) with the rack in the centre of the oven. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and brown sugar until light and smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in the egg and then the molasses.
Add the flour mixture all at once to the butter mixture, blending together at low speed until thoroughly blended. Stir in the granulated white sugar just until blended.
Use a small cookie scoop or a measuring Tablespoon, scoop out the batter and shape into balls by gently and quickly rolling between your palms. Roll the balls in the icing sugar, ensuring they are well coated, then place them on the prepared baking sheet at least 2 inches apart. Gently press down on the cookies with the palm of your hand to flatten into a puck shape.
Bake until the cookies have puffed up and are set at the edges, anywhere from 12-15 minutes (will vary depending on size, baking sheet thickness and your oven). Remove from oven and place the baking sheet onto a cooling rack. Take one end of the baking sheet and raise it up a couple of inches, then drop it down onto the rack, to deflate the cookies and expand the cracks a bit. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
There is no need to refrigerate the dough before baking or between batches.Be sure to read the notes above this Recipe Card, where I share more detailedtips, variations and substitution suggestions for this recipe!