Molasses Spice Cookies (Make sure your spices are fresh .

Light molasses gives mild flavor, dark molasses

for stronger flavor. If dough sticks to your hands while shaping, dip hands into bowl of cold water and shake off excess.)

1/3c granulated sugar, plus 1/2c for dipping 2 c all purpose flour 1tsp baking soda 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground ginger tsp ground cloves tsp ground allspice tsp ground black pepper tsp salt c unsalted butter, softened 1/3 c packed dark brown sugar 1 large egg yolk 1 tsp vanilla extract c light or dark molasses Adjust oven rack to middle position. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line to baking sheets with parchment paper. Place cup granulated sugar in low flat pan for dipping. Whisk flour, baking soda, spices, and salt in medium bowl until thoroughly combines; set aside. In standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter with brown sugar and remaining granulated sugar at medium-high heat until light and fluffy, about 3 inutes. Reduce speed to medium-low and add yolk and vanilla; increase speed to medium and beat until fully 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 incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping down bowl once. Give dough a final stir by hand to ensure that no pockets of flour remain at the bottom. Dough will be soft. Using tablespoon measure, scoop heaping tablespoon of dough and roll it between your palms into 1 to 1 inch balls; Drop balls into pan with sugar, in groups of 4. Toss balls in sugar to coat and set on prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Repeat with remaining dough. Bake one sheet at a time and reverse position of baking sheet from front ot back halfway through baking. Cookies will be browned still puffy, edges will have begun to set , but centers are still soft (cookies will look raw between the cracks and seem under done) about 11 minutes. Do not overbake. Cool the cookies on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then use wide spatula to transger cookies to wire rack. Cool cookies to room temperature. When completely cool, return rack with cookies to cooled parchment- lines baking sheet Whisk 1 cup powdered sugar and 2 to 3 tablespoon dark rum in medium bowl until smooth. Drizzle glaze over cookies using back of a soup spoon. Allow to dry ~15min.