Molasses Spice Cookies

These molasses spice cookies are crisp and crackly on the outside, chewy in the middle, and full of warm spice cookies. The recipe was originally dubbed "Elevator Lady Spice Cookies" (search the name for a fun story) and was first published after the elevator lady herself shared it with Peg Bracken, the author of the I Hate to Cook Book of 1960's fame.

Ingredients:
2 cups/ 250 g all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon*
3/4 teaspoons ground ginger
3/4 teaspoons ground cloves
3/4 cup/ 12 tablespoons/ 138 g shortening
1 cup/ 200 g granulated sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup/ 85 g molasses
2 tablespoons turbinado or granulated sugar (optional)
sprinkle of cinnamon (optional)

In a medium bowl, stir flour, baking soda, salt, and spices for 30 seconds. Combine shortening, sugar, egg, and molasses and beat with an electric mixer or stand mixer on medium for about 2 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed, until thoroughly combined and lighter in texture and color. Add flour mixture in two parts, mixing until combined after each and scraping down the bowl as needed. Cookie dough can be baked right away, or chilled for easier scooping. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. If using, stir additional sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Scoop cookies into tablespoon-sized balls and toss in cinnamon sugar (if using). Place two inches apart on lined cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes (on the lower end of the range for softer cookies), until cookies have crackled on top but are still rather soft in the center. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

*or substitute 2 1/2 teaspoons, total, of any spice blend you like

Yield: 3-4 dozen cookies
Storage: store baked cookies in an airtight container; tightly wrapped cookie dough keeps well in the refrigerator for 3 days; scoops of cookie dough keep well in the freezer for a year

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