Ginger Crackle Cookies

Like most of my baking I have been making these ginger cookies for many years and could never count how many batches for Christmas I have prepared. My family is pretty stuck on the same items each year but I guess if you like them no reason to change. We are not a family that enjoys cookies with sprinkles, jam or anything too fancy. Just let us enjoy the basic all Canadian cookies. When my children were young they would ask me to buy them real cookies.....like Oreos or Dare chocolate chip cookies. As they got older they sold my homemade cookies at school. I also know that our home became very popular for my boys friends when the fresh cookies came out of the oven. But Christmas and special events are not the same without them now! My father always loved these cookies but told me that they were not ginger snaps since they are soft and even crackle might be pushing it. I hope he still enjoys them as he looks down on us enjoying family time together the way we always did when he was with us.

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup molasses

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

3 teaspoons ginger

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix ingredients as listed in directions. Make into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar. (separate sugar from the 1/2 cup sugar up above.) Place on cookie sheet and cook in 350 oven for 13-15 minutes. About 4 dozen cookies.