Soft Ginger Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ground cloves, nutmeg, ground ginger and kosher salt.

In another large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer), beat together the brown sugar, 1/4 cups oil and molasses on medium speed until smooth in texture, about 3-5 minutes. Turn the speed to low and add the egg. Beat for an additional minute until well combined. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the flour mixture. Once all the dry ingredients are incorporated, mix on medium speed for an additional minute. At this time, if you find the mixture is too crumbly and needs moisture, add 1 teaspoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of water and mix well. Add an additional teaspoon of oil and tablespoon of water if necessary. Add the crystallized ginger and mix until well combined.

Using a spoon, scoop a small amount of the dough for each cookie. Using your hands, gently roll each cookie into approximately a 1 3/4-inch ball and then slightly flatten with your palm or fingers. You may need to wet your hands with a tiny amount of water to prevent sticking. Once flattened, press each side of the cookie into a small layer of granulated sugar in a shallow dish and then place cookie onto baking sheet.

Bake 9-13 minutes. The cookies will be cracked on top and soft inside. Don’t wait for the cookies to turn golden, as that will overcook them. Remove the cookies from the oven and let stand on baking sheets for 2-3 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!