Chewy Molasses Spice Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
 ¼ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
 1/8 teaspoon ground mustard
 ½ cup butter or margarine (1 stick), softened
 ¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
 ½ cup light (mild) molasses
 1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. On sheet of waxed paper, stir together flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, salt, pepper, cloves, and mustard.

2. In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat butter and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in molasses until combined. Reduce speed to low; beat in egg and vanilla until blended. Beat in flour mixture until combined, scraping bowl occasionally with rubber spatula.

3. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons, 3 inches apart, on ungreased large cookie sheet. Bake cookies 13 to 15 minutes, until flattened and evenly browned. Cool on cookie sheet on wire rack 2 minutes. With wide spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely.

4. Repeat with remaining cookie dough.

Audrey