One of my favorite parts of the weeks leading up to Christmas is baking cookies. One year I baked seventeen different kinds because I kept finding recipes I wanted to try. Lately though, I’ve pulled the list back to about thirteen.

We share cookie plates with several friends at church, relatives, and neighbors, and then we eat the rest. One son admitted as he and his twin gathered the plates for delivery a few years ago that sharing our cookies was one of the best parts of Christmas. Yea!

Here’s the recipe for one of my favorite cookies. Don’t let the long ingredient list or grating the ginger root deter you from trying this cookie. It’s delicious.

Three Ginger Cookie

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
¾ cup butter, softened
¼ cup molasses
2 eggs
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger root
2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
½ cup sugar for coating

Stir together flour, baking soda, spices, and salt in a bowl. Set aside

Mix brown sugar and butter at medium speed until creamy. Add molasses, eggs, honey, and gingerroot, beating until well mixed. Add flour mixture. Beat at low speed until well combined. Stir in crystallized ginger. Cover and refrigerate until firm (at least 30 minutes). Dough may still be sticky.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Shape dough into small balls and roll in sugar. Place onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until centers begin to set. Cool on wire rack. Enjoy!

Aunt Winnie and Jancie in Mars…With Venus Rising love baking, too, and spread love through sharing goodies. You’ll find their recipe for Celebration Cookies along with several other recipes in the back of the book.

What’s your favorite Christmas treat?

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