I’ll be honest, I’ve never been a fan of traditional gingerbread. As a kid, I loved decorating gingerbread men and gingerbread houses, but I would never eat them. Something about the texture and density just didn’t appeal to me.

Last week, when my daugher asked if I would make gingerbread cookies, I didn’t exactly run to the kitchen and break out the mixer. I thought I would try something different. The recipe below is what I came up with. They turned out light and airy like a sugar cookie with the flavor and spice of gingerbread. Serve them warm and top with frosting and watch them disappear before your eyes!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup dark molasses
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons of butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl or mixer, cream together the margarine and 1 cup sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg, then stir in molasses and water. Add baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and salt, then gradually stir in the flour about a half a cup at a time.

Pour the 1/4 cup of white sugar onto a plate. Shape dough into balls (about 3 tablespoons of dough per ball) and roll each ball in sugar, coating all sides. Place the cookies about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten them slightly with your palm.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in preheated oven, being careful not to overcook. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely. Top with frosting, if desired.

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