Most molasses cookies and ginger snaps harden not long after you take them out of the oven. The extra egg yolk keeps these soft for days.
- 3/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- granulated sugar for rolling
- Combine melted butter, brown sugar, and molasses thoroughly. Add the egg and egg yolk; combine well.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients in a second bowl. Add the butter-sugar-egg mixture and combine well.
- Chill the dough until it is manageable. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper (or grease them lightly).
- Form scant 1/4-cup scoops into balls; roll in granulated sugar. Place on lined cookie sheets and flatten slightly. Bake 15 minutes or until the edges are just set; the centers will still be quite soft. If using parchment paper, slide the entire paper off the cookie sheet onto racks to cool; this will help to keep the cookies intact.