That seems like a LOT of butter in ratio to flour! Compare it to these recipes. -Grainlady

GINGER CREAMS
(Betty Crocker's New Picture Cook Book)

1/3 c. soft shortening
1/2 c. sugar
1 small egg
1/2 c. molasses
1/2 c. water
2 c. Gold Medal Flour
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. soda
1 t. ginger
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. cloves
1/2 t. cinnamon
-----------------------------------------

Molasses-Ginger Cookies
(Farm Journal's Best-Ever Cookies)

1/2 c. shortening
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. light molasses
1/2 T. vinegar
3 c. sifted flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. ground ginger
1/4 t. salt
1 egg, beaten
-------------------------------------------

Molasses Cookies
(Cookiemania)

3/4 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. molasses (generous)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1-3/4 c. flour
1/2 t. ground cloves
1/2 t. ground ginger
1 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda

Here is my all time favorite chewy molasses cookie, for comparison. Yours has almost the same amount of fat, although my recipe has twice as much flour/sugar/eggs, etc. I think the fat ratio is definitely pretty high in your recipe.

Chewy Molasses Cookies
(Annie CF)

1 1/2 cups of shortening (I use half and half with butter, but all butter makes them too crispy for my taste)
1 cups granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup of dark molasses
4 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
Chopped crystalized ginger, optional, to taste. I used about half a cup, finely chopped and wish I'd have used more but I love ginger
Coarse sugar or turbinado sugar for rolling

Cream the shortening and sugars. Add the molasses and eggs and mix until well blended. Sift the flour (yeah right, I don't, LOL) and measure 4 1/2 cups into a separate bowl. Add the spices, salt, and baking soda and whisk to combine. Turn the mixer to low or stir, and add the flour slowly until well mixed. Stir in the chopped ginger and chill the dough for at least an hour.

After the dough has chilled for an hour, roll tablespoonfuls of the dough into balls and roll the balls in the coarse sugar to completely coat. Place the dough balls about an inch apart on a greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

The cookies will puff up and crack. When the cookies are done the cracks should still look a little wet, but the outside should look dry. They'll "fall" a little as they cool, let them sit a couple of minutes on the sheet before you try to move them to cooling racks.

Annie

Here's one of mine...proportion-wise as to fat, sugar, flour and eggs about half of Annie's.
I think you need half the amount of butter in your recipe or you need to double the other ingredients.

GINGER SNAPS (Stew's favorite)

2/3 cup cooking oil
1 cup white sugar
4 Tbsp molasses
1 egg

Stir together above ingredients, then add:

2 cups sifted flour
2 tsp soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp salt

Make small balls. Roll in sugar. Bake 1" apart on ungreased baking sheet at 350 for 15 minutes

This one from AnnT is good too. Annie's chewey recipe is great too.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table
Gingersnaps - Extra-Spicy Gingersnaps
=====================================
Posted by:
KarenInSeattle on Thu, Oct 17, 02 at 19:14
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger, or more
to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cool unsalted
butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus extra
for rolling
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup molasses (not blackstrap)
1/4 cup egg whites (from about 2
eggs)
.
Combine the flour, baking soda, and
spices in a mixing bowl and set aside.
Cream the butter until smooth and
fluffy in a mixer fitted with a paddle
attachment (or using a hand mixer).
Add the sugars and mix. Add the
molasses and mix. Add the egg whites
in 2 batches, mixing to combine after
each addition. Add the dry ingredients
in three batches, mixing to combine
after each addition.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Spread a few tablespoons of
granulated sugar on a small plate.
Roll the dough into 3/4-inch balls,
then roll each ball in the sugar until
lightly coated. Transfer to parchment
lined cookie sheets, leaving 1-inch of
space between the cookies. Bake until
browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool on
wire racks and store in an airtight
container.
Yield: 60 cookies

David

Clairdo, you didn't say...did the cookies turn out well, despite the difficulty?

We love Annie's recipe.

I love that recipe too, which is why I seldom make it. My jeans don't like it at all!

So clair, how did the cookies turn out?

Annie

Another cheer for Annie's recipe here. I've made them a few times, and they turn out wonderful! Like Annie though, I have to be careful. I either make them when the kids are around or to give to someone else!! Of course, I DO eat one or two myself....