Ruth Moulton's Spice Balls

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 48
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1/4 cup sugar

Recipe

• 1 combine the butter and 1 cup of the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. beat until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. beat in the egg and molasses.
• 2 sift the flour, soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and salt together onto a piece of parchment. add to the butter mixture in 2 batches, beating just until combined. cover with plastic wrap and chill for 2 to 3 hours.
• 3 preheat the oven to 350°f place the remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a pie plate. shape the dough into walnut-size balls and roll in the sugar to coat. arrange 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets and bake until cracked and dry but still soft, about 10 minutes. cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to cool on wire racks.