Just call me Cookie Monster.

I did so little baking for the holiday that I think I am making up for lost cookies lately. Sure, we did our sugar cookie cutouts which may have included a witch and a ghost. I picked up a little trick along with that recipe which calls for you to roll out the cookies with powdered sugar instead of flour!

Anyway, cookies just seem like the winter thing to do. You know, the oven will help heat the house! The Boss is always eager to help! We get cookies at the end! There are cookies waiting for me after the kiddos are in bed! There are just a lot of positives that go along with cookies. Lately, I've been craving those with warm spices and such. Cinnamon. Ginger. Nutmeg. Cloves. These have it all. And if you are in that camp that believe chocolate chips help everything, it has those, too.

The only downside is that you have to chill the dough. Which means waiting. My almost four year old exclaimed "We have to wait TWO HOURS?!" Anything longer than immediately was going to be a long time for her. So we shoveled some snow. 'Cause that's also the winter thing to do.

Martha Stewart's Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

7 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups plus 1 TBSP flour

1 1/4 TSP ground ginger

1 TSP cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1 TBSP cocoa powder

1 stick unsalted butter

1 TBSP freshly grated ginger (I omitted this)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup unsulfured molasses

1 TSP baking soda

1/4 cup sugar

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cocoa.

In the bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter and grated ginger about 4 minutes. Add brown sugar and beat until combined. Add molasses; beat until combined.

In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in 1 1/2 TSP of boiling water. Beat half of the flour mixture into butter mixture. Beat in baking soda mixture, then remaining half of flour mixture. Mix in chocolate; turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Pat dough out to about 1 inch thick; seal with wrap and refrigerate until firm, 2 hours or more.

Heat oven to 325. Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls; place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Roll in granulated sugar. Bake until surfaces crack slightly, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.