SILVER PALATE MOLASSES COOKIES

"These chewy, spicy cookies stay moist, in an airtight tin, for at least a week."

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Remove from the heat, add the sugar and molasses, and mix.

In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg and add to the melted butter mixture; blend well; set aside.

Sift the flour with the cloves, ginger, cinnamon, salt and baking soda and mix into the melted butter mixture. The batter will be wet.

Lay a sheet of parchment paper or aluminum foil on a cookie sheet. Drop tablespoons of cookie batter on the sheet, leaving 3 inches between the cookies. These will spread during baking.

Bake until the cookies start to darken, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven while they are still soft. Let cool on the cookie sheet.

Makes 48 cookies
Source: The Silver Palate Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins