Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.
In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs, molasses, and vanilla extract; blend well.
Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and mix together well. To avoid the batter from sticking to the paddles or your hands, dust with flour.
Ball Shaped Cookies:
Using your hands, roll the batter into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in the brown sugar or white granulated sugar. Place the cookie balls 2-inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until done.
Remove from the oven and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.
Delicious when served warm.
Cookie Cutter Directions:
Using a rolling pin on a floured surface, roll the cookie dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Use cookie cutters of your choice to cut out desired shapes. Next take a spatula to help transfer the cookie shapes to a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until done.
Remove from the oven and place on a wire cooling rack to cool. When the cookies have been cooled, frost with the marshmallow fondant icing and add any cookie sprinkles of choice.
* Ellen used Peggy Weaver's famous Fondant Icing Recipe - Marshmallow Fondant (recipe and tutorial on making and using marshmallow fondant icing) to decorate these festive Christmas cookies.
Chewy Ginger Cookies Recipe: https://whatscookingamerica.net/elleneaston/chewygingercookies.htm