Soft and chewy ginger cookies

These are delightful. Very soft, chewy and gingery, without overpowering. Unlike the rest of my family, I am not a cookie person, but these are my exception. They are perfect to have after lunch with a cup of tea, and not too sweet. Great for starting off the holiday season.

A couple modifications: if you really like ginger, chop up a half to one cup of candied ginger and gently add it to the batter at the end. Very tasty.
If you like sweet(er), use white sugar instead of brown or increase the sugar to one cup. Also remember that rolling the cookie dough in coarse white sugar will also sweeten them up a bit.
And finally, if you dont' have the key ingredient, molasses (hard to come by in Kathmandu), you could try use the more common "golden syrup' in place of molasses and use 1 cup of dark brown sugar in place of the sugar.

Hope you like them!

Makes about 2-3 dozen

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/4 cup molasses
• Coarse white sugar for rolling (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the water and molasses. 
3. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the molasses mixture. 
4. For best results (and especially if the dough is sticky) refrigerate dough for 30 minutes to an hour.
5. Shape dough into walnut-sized balls, and roll them or tap them in the coarse white sugar if desired.
6. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet (or use parchment paper), and flatten slightly with a fork.
7. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.