Suzy's Snappy Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients:
6 ounces (1-1/2 sticks) butter
1/4 cup + 2 TBS dark unsulphured molasses
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ginger (less of all spices if you do not like a spicey cookie)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1/3 cup white sugar to roll cookie dough in

Directions:
1. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Pour into mixing bowl and stir in the molasses and vanilla. Set aside to cool.
2. Add the egg to the cooled butter mixture and mix well.
3. Add 1 cup of sugar, the baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pepper and salt. Mix until combined.
4. Fold the flour mixture into the butter mixture 1/2 cup at a time. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until firm (About 30 minutes). Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.(350 if using a dark pan, I use parchment paper too)
5. Place 1/3 cup of sugar in a small bowl. Roll into 1-inch balls. Toss the balls in the sugar to coat completely and place on ungreased baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass (don't smoosh too flat). I sprinkle a bit more sugar on after this.
6. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the centers no longer appear raw. (At 7-8 minutes you'll have soft and chewy cookies; at 9-10 they'll be crisp. Check your oven - mine runs hot so I always have a shorter baking time) Let cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Note: Makes 4 dozen cookies. As they bake, they puff up, and then collapse flat. They get that nice cracked top like an old-fashioned ginger snap. Be careful not to overbake these cookies, burnt molasses is bitter.
~*~ From Suzy ~*~