*kids, get an adult to help you with the stovetop and cutting directions!*

1. Combine the flour , cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, nutmeg, cloves and salt in a bowl.

2. Heat the butter, sugar and molasses in a saucepan over medium heat until the butter is melted.

3. Remove from the heat.

4. Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients and stir. Add egg and stir until smooth.

5. Let stand for 10 minutes.

6. Divide the dough in half.

7. While it is still warm, roll each half of the dough to 1/8 inch thickness between 2 sheets of wax paper. Refrigerate on cookie sheets for at least 1 hour or overnight.

8. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the 2 cookie sheets.

9. Remove the wax paper and cut the dough with 2-inch cookie cutters. Transfer the cutouts to the prepared cookie sheets.

10. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on wire racks.

11. Reroll the scraps and refrigerate; repeat the cutting and baking.

12. Decorate with anything you’d like, including sugar, raisins, etc!

Nothing’s better than the smell and taste of warm cookies on a chilly winter night!

Submitted by Sarah