Molasses Spice Cookies

* Cooking Time: 11
* Servings: 22
4 Points each

* 1/3 cup (about 2½ ounces) granulated sugar, plus ½ cup for dipping
* 2¼ cups (11¼ ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 1½ teaspoons ground ginger
* ½ teaspoon ground cloves
* ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
* ¼ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
* ¼ teaspoon salt
* 12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
* 1/3 cup packed (2¾ ounces) dark brown sugar
* 1 large egg yolk
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* ½ cup light or dark molasses


1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place ½ cup sugar for dipping in 8- or 9-inch cake pan.

2. Whisk flour, baking soda, spices, and salt in medium bowl until thoroughly combined; set aside.

3. In standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter with brown sugar and remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low and add yolk and vanilla; increase speed to medium and beat until incorporated, about 20 seconds. Reduce speed to medium-low and add molasses; beat until fully incorporated, about 20 seconds, scraping bottom and sides of bowl once with rubber spatula. Reduce speed to lowest setting; add flour mixture and beat until just incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping down bowl once. Give dough a final stir by hand to ensure that no pockets of flour remain at bottom. Dough will be soft.

4. Using tablespoon measure, scoop heaping tablespoon of dough and roll it between your palms into 1¼- to 1½-inch ball; drop ball into cake pan with sugar and repeat to form about 4 balls. Toss balls in sugar to coat and set on prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Repeat with remaining dough.

5. Bake, one sheet at a time and reversing position of baking sheet from front to back halfway through baking, until cookies are browned, still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will look raw between the cracks and seem underdone), about 11 minutes. Do not over bake.

6. Cool the cookies on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes, then use wide metal spatula to transfer cookies to wire rack; cool cookies to room temperature and serve.