AliLarter.com

November 1, 2014

Like a cream colored turtleneck, ginger is a chameleon.  This spice is so good at blending with and augmenting other flavors that it can be complementary to a startling array of culinary creations, so much so that it seldom gets the opportunity to shine on it’s own right.

No more!  Chilly weather demands we up the spice in our recipes, and that includes sweets.  These gingersnap cookies do not disappoint!  With a health conscious whole wheat base and fresh ginger, these gorgeous delights are just the right balance of gourmet and dressed-down, sweet and salty, textured and chewy, nice and naughty…

Try this recipe now, then bring it back when Santa starts making his rounds.  You don’t even need a mixer.  Now that’s what I call a treat.

xx

A

GINGERSNAP COOKIES

Ingredients for wet mix:

1 stick unsalted butter
½ cup dark brown sugar
2/3 cup sugar, more for rolling
¼ cup unsulphered molasses
2 Tbls. grated fresh ginger (approximately 1 piece)
1 egg

 

Ingredients for dry mix:

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground clove
¾ tsp kosher salt

 

Toppings:
½ cup Sugar

Directions:

Melt butter until browned and then pour into a large bowl, allow to cool.  Mix in sugars, molasses, egg and fresh ginger.  Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl then add to wet mixture and stir until all ingredients are combined into a batter.  Form into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap.  Chill for 24 hours for the best results.

When ready to bake, move your oven racks to the upper and lower thirds, then preheat oven to 350 F.  Butter two cookie sheets.  Pour ½ cup sugar into a bowl.

Using a spoon, scoop 1 tbls sized dollops, roll them into balls by hand and then roll them in the sugar.  They should be glistening white.  Place 2 inches apart on the cooking sheets.  If reserving some of the dough for later, double dip in sugar before rechilling.

Bake cookies for 6 minutes then rotate the baking sheets between oven racks and cook an additional 6-9 minutes – longer for crispier.  The cookies will have that beautiful cracked-tip finish!

Using a spatula, transfer the cookies to a baking rack to cool, then get to chewing!  They will keep for 3 days in tupperware or plastic bag.