Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice

I expected more from these cookies.  They were soft and chewy with crunchy edges and just a hint of spice.  When Joy the Baker describes them as chocolate chip cookies without the chocolate chips, she's right.  And that's what was missing.  Silly Sally and I, attempting to make cookies without chocolate... that never ends well.

Brown Sugar Cookies
adapted from here and here
makes 2 dozen cookies
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
12 tbs. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar
1 large egg
Directions
1. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, and cinnamon in a medium sized bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (yes, your arm will want to fall off if you do this by hand).  Add the egg and beat into the mix.  Add the dry mixture and stir until combined (it will look very dry at first, just keep mixing and everything will come together).
3.  Cover the bowl with saran wrap and chill for about 1 hour.
4.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
5.  Roll about a tablespoon full of dough into a ball and flatten.  Place dough on a baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between each cookie (seriously.  these things spread).  Bake 8 minutes, turning the tray halfway through.  The edges should be slightly brown.  Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes, until set (seriously.  they will fall apart if you try to move them sooner. and you will be sad).  Transfer to a cooling rack.