Sugar and Spice.

I have been baking today. I love baking. I was baking cookies. I LOVE cookies. I was baking sugar and spice cookies filled with good things like molasses, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg. Our house smells divine.

My sistah, Lisa, throws a cookie swap every year. It is larger than life. Last year, I realized that the date she had picked for the cookie swap we were supposed to be at Disney World. And honest-to-goodness, I changed our flight. We did Disney in a half day, because I didn't want to miss the cookie swap. When I realized this conflict, there were tears followed by a very confused husband, "so what you're trying to say is that you would rather go to Lisa's cookie thing, more than Disney World?!!" "yes, Rory, (sniff sniff) I am saying exactly that..."

My first year at the cookie swap I brought peanut butter buckeyes, sort of cheating because they are a no bake, and being that everyone must bring TWELVE DOZEN cookies, I ended up feeling badly that I didn't actually bake like everyone else. However, when year two rolled around, I again took the easy way out and made my mom's apricot-coconut balls. Another no bake. I love these babies, but they're hit or miss, depending on if others like apricot, coconut and dark chocolate. (if you like those three things though, you'll flip over these things...)

Last year I made oatmeal cranberry cookies and this year, I made these sugar-ginger deals. They smell and taste fantastic. And the best part? The dough isn't actually that delicious, so this is like the first time in my life that I made cookies and don't have a tummy ache from eating so much dough. It seriously is a perk! But the cookies, once they are baked, are my absolute favorite. A classic, Christmas cookie.

So here's the recipe. The cookie swap isn't until next Monday, so the cookies are safe in freezer bags for a week until I get them out to package them up beautifully for an event that tops Disney World. And I LOVE Disney World.

Sugar and Spice Cookies
3/4 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1/4 c. molasses
(beat above together)
Dry Ingredients (mix together and add to butter mixture)
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp cloves
3/4 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Preheat over to 350. Form into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar. Place two inces apart on baking sheet. Bake for 7-8 minutes for a chewy cookie. Makes four dozen. Enjoy!