By The Oracle

It’s the holidays again.  Winter is in full swing, and there is nothing more comforting on a cold day than to bake cookies.  They’re delicious, and it’s an excellent excuse for standing next to a warm oven for several hours.  A roaring fire, a cup a tea, cookies and a good book sound like an excellent way to spend the evening when the snow swirls and the wind howls outside.  And these cookies are good all winter long.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup molasses

1 tsp. cloves

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. vinegar

2 tsp. cold water

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. ginger

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

5 to 6 cups all-purpose flour

Dusting sugar

Cream butter and sugar together in a large mixer.  When it’s fluffy, add all the other ingredients except the flour.  Mix well.  Add flour gradually at low speeds.  Remove dough from bowl and encase in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 325.  Divide and roll thin for crisp cookie or thick for a softer cookie.  Cut out with your favorite cookie cutter and place on a cookie sheet with parchment paper covering the bottom.  I like to decorate them with dusting sugar before I bake them.  It means I don’t have to frost them later, and they come out ready to eat.  (Frankly, the frosting route always makes me feel inadequate.  There are people can frost cookies and have them look amazing.  I am not one of those people.) Bake 10-12 minutes until brown at the edges.  Cool 10-15 minutes and enjoy.