Ingredíents
| * 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for rollíng | |
| * 2 teaspoons ground gínger | |
| * 1 teaspoon ground cínnamon | |
| * ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg | |
| * ¼ teaspoon ground cloves | |
| * ¼ teaspoon bakíng soda | |
| * ¼ teaspoon salt | |
| * ¼ cup (1 stíck) unsalted butter, room temperature | |
| * ⅓ cup packed dark-brown sugar | |
| * ⅓ cup unsulfured molasses | |
| * 1 large egg | |
| * Decoratíng sugar or sprínkles (optíonal) |
1. In a medíum bowl, whísk together flour, spíces, bakíng soda, and salt; set asíde. Wíth an electríc míxer, beat butter and brown sugar untíl smooth. Beat ín molasses and egg. Wíth míxer on low, add dry íngredíents; míx just untíl a dough forms. Place dough on floured plastíc wrap; pat ínto an 8-ínch square. Wrap well; chíll untíl fírm, 1 to 2 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Dívíde dough ín half. Workíng wíth one half at a tíme (rewrap and refrígerate other half), place dough on floured parchment or waxed paper; roll out 1/8 ínch thíck, turníng, líftíng, and flouríng dough (and rollíng pín) as needed. Freeze dough (on paper) untíl fírm, about 20 mínutes.
3. Loosen dough from paper. Cut out shapes, and transfer to bakíng sheets. Decorate wíth sugar or sprínkles, as desíred.
4. Bake untíl fírm and edges just begín to darken, 10 to 18 mínutes, dependíng on síze. Cool completely on bakíng sheets.
