the ginger's goodie grams: Soft Gingerbread Cookies

Sugar and spice, and everything nice, except I've always been more partial to the spicy side (LOL). These cookies should be made all year long, but December seems the most logic time to make them. This is my favorite ginger cookie, and as a ginger myself who better to trust???

I N G R E D I E N T S

--2 1/4 cups flour

--2 tsp. ground ginger

--1 tsp. baking soda

--3/4 tsp. cinnamon

--1/2 tsp. cloves

--1/4 tsp. salt

--3/4 cup (1 1/2 stick) softened butter

--1 cup granulated sugar

--1 egg

--1 tbsp. orange juice (trust me!!!)

--1/4 cup molasses

--frosting--

(not pictured ingredients)

--4 cups powdered sugar

--1 stick softened butter

--2 tsp. vanilla

--3-5 tbsp. milk

--Preheat oven to 350 degrees before you forget! In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, salt) and set aside.

--In the bowl of an electric mixer (because it's so much easier than working those arms), beat sugar and butter until fluffy, then add in your egg.

--Next mix in orange juice...

--And your slow molasses.

--It should look like dis.

--Gradually add in the dry ingredients with the mixer on low (gradually because the poof of flour after dumping in large amounts of flour in a turning mixer is real) until it's all combined.

--Voila!

--Turn dough onto a plastic wrap and wrap dough, placing it in the fridge for about 30 minutes to chill. For rolling purposes, the dough is a lot more manageable when cold!

--Find a flat surface and roll this baby out with a ton of flour underneath it and coating your rolling pin!

--Find your cutest little guy and make a ton of them (I also just did circles woohoo).

--Place on a cookie sheet with enough space in between them to grow a little bit.

--Bake for 8-10 minutes, until there's little crackly surfaces on the guys!

--Who else scrolled up to the last picture after seeing these?? Yes, the puffing will go down after they cool!

--Now, you can leave them as is and they'll be super delicious, or you can pair these with your favorite frosting! The one I use is super simple. If you already have one in mind, skip these steps:
--In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter until super fluffy, then add in vanilla and 3 tbsp. milk.
--dump in powdered sugar, and slowly mix together until it starts combining, then switch the speed to high and add in any additional milk in until it's the consistency you like!