Soft Molasses Cookies

This cookie recipe came from a local newspaper almost a year ago, and I am only getting around to trying it now. These cookies certainly are soft and moist as long as you do not overbake them, and they are very spicy and certainly taste like molasses. I used dark brown sugar, which brought out the molasses flavor even more. I did not have any nutmeg, so I just left it out, but added some of my secret ingredients instead. I also did not have any turbinado sugar on hand, so I sprinkled the cookies with more dark brown sugar before baking. I found this dough fairly wet when I mixed it up, so it definitely needs to chill. I used a small ice cream scoop to form the cookies, which may have been a bit too big. The cookies spread and flattened out quite a bit, but they are still nice and soft.

Soft Molasses Cookies
1/2 cup butter or hard margarine, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose (plain) flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 Tablespoon ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup water
1 Tablespoon turbinado sugar for topping, optional

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the molasses and egg and beat until fluffy.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients.
In a measuring cup, dissolve the coffee in the vanilla, then add the water.
To the butter mixture, add half of the flour, followed by half of the coffee mixture, then repeat with remaining flour then coffee mixture. 
Chill dough in the fridge for at least an hour, overnight, or up to one week.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400◦F and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Drop dough by teaspoons two inches apart onto prepared cookie sheets. Sprinkle with a little turbinado sugar, if desired. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until cookies are puffed and golden but still soft. Cool on the cookies sheets for two minutes before removing to cool completely.