Gingerbread Cake Cookies

by Super User Featured Chef Adapted from www.thekitchn.com

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda. cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

Use a stand mixer or handheld mixer to cream the butter and vegetable shortening until smooth. Add the brown sugar and mix until fluffy, about 2 minutes, then mix in the molasses and egg. With a spoon, gradually mix in the flour and spice mixture. Turn the dough onto a clean surface and divide in half. Wrap each half in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at lest 2 1/2 hours (or up to 2 days.)

Preheat oven to 325˚F. Place the turbinado sugar in a shallow dish. Form balls of dough about 3/4-inch in diameter, and dip each one in the turbinado sugar. Arrange on parchment-lined cookie sheets about an inch apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating the cookie sheet mid-way through the baking time, until the edges of the cookies are firm. 

Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks. When completely cool, they can be stored in a covered container up to 5 days.