Molasses Cookies with Gingerbread M&Ms

In a large bowl, mix together the melted butter, light brown sugar, and egg until smooth. Stir in the molasses and vanilla extract. Set aside.

In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. Mix dry ingredients into the molasses mixture. Stir in 1 cup of the gingerbread M&M candies. Cover and chill dough for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Roll dough into walnut sized balls and roll them in the remaining 1 cup of granulated sugar. Place cookies 2 inches apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Using the bottom of a flat glass, gently press down on the cookies to lightly flatten. With the remaining gingerbread M&Ms, add a few candies to the top/sides of each cookie, pressing them slightly in.

Bake for 7-8 minutes, until tops are cracked. Remove baking sheets from the oven and set them on a rack. Allow the cookies to cool on the sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely. Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.