• In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar together with a whisk until pale, light and fluffy.
• Mix in the flour and using your hands, knead the dough until it is smooth and no longer crumbly. Add a few drops of water (or citrus juice) to the dough if dry. The dough should be easy to mold and not sticky.
• On a piece of parchment paper, roll the dough into a log shape. The diameter of the log will be the size of your cookie, so for larger cookies, shape a fatter log, and for smaller cookies, roll it out so it is thinner.
• If using the demerara sugar for dusting, sprinkle the sugar on a piece of parchment paper or a shallow dish. Roll the dough log in the sugar so that all sides have a thick layer of sugar.
• Wrap the dough in parchment paper and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes or until ready to bake. Chilling the dough will help the cutting process as it firms up the butter.
• Remove the dough from the fridge and cut the dough into slices. Lay the slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Bake at 325F for 20-30 minutes until golden brown and crunchy. If the cookies look pale, keep them in for a few minutes longer and check often to make sure they do not burn. You want the cookies to take on a golden brown color to get that rich butter and molasses taste!

Icing the Cookies

• For the icing, mix the powdered sugar, water or juice, and extract if using, until a thin paste forms. Dip a fork into the icing and drizzle onto cooled cookies. Allow for the icing to harden before storing.