Spicy Christmas Ginger Cookies

prep time:: 45 minutes
total time:: 55 minutes

Makes 24-36 cookies

Whalin

delicious, spicy, gingery traditional ginger, chewy cookies. perfect for holidays & presenets

ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened (I used 1/2 applesauce and 1/2 butter or 1/2 yogurt)
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg
1/2 cup soft diced gingerroot (cross btwn crystallized ginger and ginger in syrup. I use a mix of crystallized and fresh ginger minced fine and simmered in a small amount of water until soft)
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (use ~1/2C less for very moist cookies)
1/2 cup light molasses (I used dark molasses or a mix of 1/4 C molasses and 1/4 C corn syrup)

directions

1
Cream butter, sugar, spices, salt and backing soda until well blended.
2
Beat in the egg and ginger, then the flour, alternating with the molasses.
3
Refrigerate the dough for several hours, or overnight; it needs to be stiff enough to handle easily.
4
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
5
Roll half the dough about 1/4" thick on a floured surface (I mix flour with sugar in the raw). Cut into whatever shapes you like.
6
Transfer to an ungreased or parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. (I sprinkled some iwth sugar in the raw).
7
Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes until they’re puffy, and the edges are firm. Be careful not to over bake as the cookies are best moist.
8
Remove from oven and cool on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.

notes

Vary the amount of ginger according to taste. I like them to be spicy and use ~2/3C. To make your own candied ginger from fresh ginger dice it and boil it with simple syrup for ~30 min, then dice or blend. small chunks of ginger are good in the cookies.

Source: Whalin