Ginger Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Using a stand mixer, combine dairy free margarine and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Add molasses and applesauce. Mix until thoroughly incorporated.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda and salt. Add this into the wet ingredients and stir until the dough just comes together. Do not overmix.

Use a small cookie scoop to place cookies on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Pat them very gently with your hands to flatten the tops a little bit. You can sprinkle a little bit of granulated sugar on top of each cookie if you wish for that added sparkle.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are golden and the middle looks wet. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes then promptly remove them to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will be soft when they come out of the oven but will firm up as they cool.

Note: Make sure not to overbake them. They should look a bit wet or undercooked in the center when they first come out of the oven. One minute longer in the oven and they will become crunchy. One minute less will make them softer. Play around with the recipe and see what you prefer. Just experiment and make it your own. ENJOY!