Nancy Filer | CoServ

These big cookies are a great option for mailing to friends and family thanks to molasses, which keeps the treats soft and tender. For the ones you keep for yourself, Filer recommends wrapping each baked cookie individually in plastic wrap to freeze and enjoy as desired.

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon instant coffee
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided use
1 cup molasses
1 egg
4 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line two cookie sheets with parchment.

2. In a large bowl, cream butter, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, mustard, coffee, cloves and salt. Blend in 1 cup sugar, then molasses and egg.

3. Mix in the flour, alternating with the milk. Stir in chocolate chips and chopped nuts. The dough will be somewhat sticky.

4. Measure a scant 1/4 cup of dough and place on parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing cookies 2 inches apart.

5. Pour remaining 1/4 cup sugar into a shallow bowl or onto a rimmed plate. Wet the bottom of a glass with water, then dip glass into sugar. Press the glass onto each cookie to flatten slightly, leaving sugar on the cookies. Bake 12–15 minutes.

Makes 2 dozen large cookies.