5-spice molasses cookies

mmm... i'm sharing this recipe today on my sick-day home from work :( but the cookies were delicious! thanks to lee's mom for sharing a ginger molasses recipe that worked great to convert to gluten free, 5-spice cookies! sorry for the lack of photograph, but i either mailed the cookies away or ate them. they are long gone--but the lucky recipients of them (my nieces and kara--the purchaser of the great 5-spice) will enjoy them, i hope. even if they arrive via usps in a million pieces...

5-spice molasses cookies

3/4 cup vegan shortening (or softened butter or margarine)
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp high quality chinese 5-spice
1 tsp baking soda
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 1/4 cup gluten free flour mix of your choosing (or regular all-purpose flour)
1 tsp xanthan gum IF you are not using a GF flour mix that already has it. OMIT for regular white, all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar

1. preheat oven to 350.
2. in a large bowl, beat shortening or butter on high speed for about 30 seconds.
3. add brown sugar, 5-spice, and baking soda. beat until combined. beat in egg and molasses.
4. add flour (and xanthan gum if using)--beat in as much as you can with the mixer. then add any remaining flour by hand if necessary.
5. shape dough into 1 to 1 1/2 inch balls. if you are using gluten free flour, you may need to refrigerate the dough for 5 minutes before doing this. roll in white sugar to coat.
6. bake on a parchment covered baking pan (for GF cookies) or an ungreased baking sheet or baking stone. bake for about 10 minutes, until puffy and lightly browned. let stand about 2 minutes before attempting to remove from baking sheet.