Monday, November 1, 2010

Christmas Cookie Party-Gingersnaps!

Icookies 
**Make sure you sign-up for my Thanksgiving Give-Away, details HERE!

Here is a recipe that warms the house with fantastic smells-Gingersnaps!

First, I'd like to introduce you to my baking assistant-Pudge. 
La at A Musing Potpourri sent him to me and it's great to have the help in the kitchen! If you haven't stopped by her blog recently, please do it's always a nice visit. Thanks La!
This is a dough that's nice to work with (not too sticky when chilled), and the cookies are great! 
Very fragrant, the outside is a little crunchy and the inside a tad chewy out of the oven!
I hope you love it if you try it:@)

Gingersnaps -recipe from thekitchn.com
1 C sugar
3/4 C butter, softened
1 egg
1/3 C molasses
2 1/4 C all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground ginger-they say you can double this, so I used 1 1/2 tsp
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 C crystallized ginger (optional, and they did not give instructions for this. I did not use it)
Additional: Mix 1/4 C sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon in small bowl

Directions:
  • Combine sugar and butter in mixer. Add egg and mix until combined. Mix in molasses.
  • In separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt and spices. Whisk to combine. Pour into wet ingredients, mix well.
  • Turn oven to 375 degrees and put dough in fridge until oven is ready. 
  • When oven is preheated, measure out rounded teaspoons of dough. Roll between hands into balls, the roll in cinnamon and sugar mixture. 
  • Place on cookie sheet 2" apart and bake for 8-10 minutes until the cookies have puffed and collapsed back on themselves.
  • Cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then onto cooling rack. Store in airtight container.
My notes:
  1. Once you make these you'll never reach for that orange box of rocks at the supermarket again! 
  2. I see no problem cutting back on the sugar to 3/4 C if not more, especially with the molasses and rolling them in sugar.
  3. I have a cookie scoop that makes 3" cookies, that's what I used.
  4. As these are stored in an airtight container they lose some of the crunch and get pliable and chewy.
  5. This dough freezes well, scoop and freeze individual cookies to bake whenever you want to!