Gingerbread Cookies

Somehow, I have it in my head that anything that has molasses as an ingredient is automatically healthy. Regretfully, I don't think that these gingerbread cookies qualify, but they've got to better than regular sugar cookies, no?

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter or soy margarine
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup dark molasses
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice

Directions:

Cream butter or margarine together with sugar in a large bowl. Mix in water and molasses. Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice. Add dry mixture to wet ingredients and combine.

Cover and chill overnight.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease cookie sheets. Roll out dough 1/4 inch thick on a floured surface. Cut cookies with cutters. Sprinkle with extra sugar if you like. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. After removing from the oven, leave the cookies on cookie sheets for 2 minutes to avoid breakage.

Happy December!

P.S. - Loved using freshly ground nutmeg!