Sugar and Spice (and Everything Nice) Cookies

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup shortening
• 1 cup white sugar, plus more for rolling (I used Vanilla Sugar)
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 cups (8½ ounces) flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• My addition: Coarse sugar for rolling

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 3 to 4 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, cream together the shortening and 1 cup sugar. Add the egg and molasses, and mix well.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and ginger. Add this to the shortening mixture and combine. I chilled the dough overnight.
4. Using your hands, form the dough into 1-inch balls, and roll in sugar to coat (I rolled some in coarse gold-colored sugar, and some in colored jimmies, for pretty). Space the balls 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Bake the cookies until browned, 10-12 minutes.
5. Remove the cookies from the baking sheets and cool on wire racks.
6. Makes 48 cookies.
7. Each of 48 cookies: Calories 69; Protein 1 gram; Carbohydrates 9 grams; Fiber 0; Fat 3 grams; Saturated fat 1 gram; Cholesterol 4 mg; Sugar 5 grams; Sodium 67 mg

Notes