Soft Ginger Cookies ♥

 

Good morning and welcome to what I like to call "Eat Week"! This Thursday is Thanksgiving and I've got my stretchy pants all ready go. Well, not really - but I do see elastic waste pants in my future.  All bets are off this week.  Especially since turkey dinner is my absolute favorite meal! I love the stuffing and mashed potatoes drowning in gravy, the cranberry sauce and the butternut squash.  Its all so delicious.  It's a wonder I even have room for pumpkin pie but somehow I find it. Oh dear....yup....elastic waste pants are definitely going to be must! : )  

 

 

When I was a kid I don't remember being that crazy about Thanksgiving.  I think as a small child I thought of it as just a warm up to Christmas, except with no presents. I saw relatives I hadn't seen in while and my mom would buy nuts and weird fruit that hadn't been around since last Thanksgiving. I have very vivid memories of watching The Wizard of Oz.  It used to be on every Thanksgiving night and I waited all year for it.  It was a major treat! ♥

 

It wasn't until I got older did I realize how wonderful a holiday it actually is.  It's a holiday all about families & friends getting together to celebrate thankfulness and all the blessings in our lives.  What a wonderful thought.  Especially with all the sadness and suffering in the world, I am continually reminding myself how very blessed I am and remember to be grateful everyday.  No matter what - there is ALWAYS something to be grateful for. And if I get to do that over turkey with a glass of wine, even better ♥

 

 

 

I made a batch of these soft ginger cookies last week to bring to work.  They were so good that I decided to bring them to Thanksgiving dinner this year.  They were really easy to make and made the whole house smell like gingerbread while they were baking.  If that doesn't get you in the holiday spirit I don't know what will. ♥

 

(Public Service Announcement: if you want to make friends at work...show up with cookies : )

 

 

Recipe from Grandmother's Kitchen (how could I resist?)

 

2 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons ginger

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter, softened (no substitute)

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup molasses

2 tablespoons sugar, plus additional to sprinkle on top

 

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Combine flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.

 

 

In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer beat butter for 30 seconds. 

 

Add sugar and beat until fluffy. 

 

Add eggs and molasses.  

 

Beat well.  

 

 

 

 

Add half of the flour mixture; beat until combined.

 

Stir in remaining flour with a wooden spoon.

                                   
                                        

Shape into 1 inch balls.

 

 

Roll in sugar. 

 

 

 

 

Place on ungreased cookie sheet 2 inches apart and bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes or until light brown and puffed. 

 

 

Sprinkle  tops with sugar.  Let cool on cookie sheet 2 minutes.  Transfer to wire rack to cool. 

 

 

They taste just like a ginger snap except soft and chewy. MMMM!

 

I hope you make a batch and share with someone you love ♥

 

 

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Eat Week to all!!! 

 

xoxox