Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped or grated crystallized ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, minus 2 tablespoons
• 2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
• 1 cup dark molasses
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• parchment paper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Combine first 8 ingredients (through 1/2 teaspoon salt) and set aside.
3. Cream butter, brown sugar, eggs and yolk. Add molasses and vanilla. Incorporate dry ingredients into creamed mixture and blend well. Chill up to 3 hours.
4. Roll dough onto a lightly floured surface and cut out with cookie cutters. Place on greased parchment lined cookie sheet and bake 12-18 minutes. If preferred, roll dough into walnut size balls. Place on cookie sheet and use a fork dipped in sugar to make a crisscross pattern, pressing down slightly.