Back when I was baking gingerbread cookie decorations for our Christmas tree, somebody asked if I had a recipe for soft gingerbread cookies. I love to eat these gingerbread cookies, but they do get hard not long after being taken out of the oven. That’s why they make such great Christmas tree decorations and gift tags. They’re yummy, but they’re a hard yummy. If you want soft, don’t expect to cut them into shapes or hang them from a tree, but we don’t want to do that all year, do we? So here are some spectacular soft spicy ginger cookies, with raisins (optional–you can leave the raisins out if you must).

But, I must warn you right now–do not overbake them!!! (You’ll be sorry!! Heed me!!)

How to make Soft Ginger-Raisin Cookies:

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup turbinado sugar

*Makes approximately three dozen cookies.

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add the cup of sugar, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves.

Can anything so full of all these spices not be crazy-delicious???

Beat until well-combined. Add egg and molasses; beat again. Beat in as much of the flour as you can, then stir in remaining flour and the raisins with a heavy spoon. Shape dough into 1 1/2-inch balls. Roll in turbinado sugar. (Can substitute with regular sugar.)

What is turbinado sugar? Read here!

Place balls on a very lightly greased cookie sheet two inches apart.

Bake at 350-degrees for 10 minutes and no more! Do not overbake! Let stand a couple minutes before using a spatula to slide off the baking sheet onto a wire rack to cool.

You will think I’m nuts and that these cookies aren’t done, they are too soft. But they are just right. As long as you don’t overbake them, they will set up, soft and wonderful, and stay soft.

And oh, the spicy wonder……..!!!!

See this recipe at Farm Bell Recipes and save it to your recipe box.


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