Soft Molasses Gingerbread Cookies

Method

1. Beat the butter and brown sugar with a mixer on medium for 2 minutes, until fluffy. Beat in the egg and molasses until smooth.
2. Whisk the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, pepper, baking soda and salt together, then add to the bowl on low speed until a soft, tacky dough forms. If it will not come together, beat in 1 tablespoon of milk.
3. Divide the dough in half and roll each piece between two sheets of parchment to ¼ inch thick. Slide the flat sheets onto a tray and chill 1 hour, or 20 minutes in the freezer.
4. Heat the oven to 350°F and line two sheet pans with parchment. Peel the top parchment off one slab and cut 3-inch shapes while the dough is cold, setting them 1 inch apart. This makes about 22 cookies.
5. Bake 9 to 10 minutes for soft cookies (12 for crisp), until the edges are set and the tops look matte. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then move to a rack, and re-roll and chill the scraps once.