12tablespoonsunsalted butter, 1 1/2 sticks, softened but still cool
1/3cuppacked dark brown sugar
1large egg yolk
1teaspoonvanilla extract
1/2cupmolasses, light or dark
Instructions
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
In shallow baking dish or pie plate, place 1/2 cup sugar for rolling dough;set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, spices, and salt until thoroughly combined; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter with brown and granulated sugars at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low and add yolk and vanilla; increase speed to medium and beat until incorporated, about 20 seconds. Reduce speed to medium-low and add molasses; beat until 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 just incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping bowl down once.
Roll one heaping tablespoon of dough into a ball between your palms, roll the ball in the sugar, and then place it on the prepared baking sheet spacing the balls about 2 inches apart Repeat with remaining dough.
Bake one sheet at a time until cookies are browned, still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, about 11 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Do not overbake.
Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes then using a wide metal spatula, transfer the cookies to the rack to cool completely.