Thursday, December 4, 2014

It's Cookie Season!

Hi there! I'm dusting off the blog to bring you a few cookie recipes for the holidays! Starting with this one, Soft Sugared Ginger Snaps! My grandson Pete and I made these this morning. I had planned to make them a few days ago but realized that I didn't have molasses. Finally bought some last night on my way home from work. Can't make ginger snaps without molasses! Anyway, for a kid who loves everything chocolate chip, he really loved these cookies. In fact, when he left my part of the house to go home today (I have a granny flat over their garage) he took all the cookies with him! (He's four!)

This recipe makes a cookie that is soft and chewy on the inside, with a sugared outer crust that gives just a bit of crisp resistance. They are perfect and round and beautiful, and the aroma of warm winter spices just makes the entire house feel like Christmas!

(I'm also in the middle of baking a large Christmas wedding cake, so it's a miracle I found time to do this!)

Here you go!

SOFT SUGARED GINGER SNAPS
oven - 375 F, cookie sheet lined with parchment paper
bake 8 minutes
Makes 28-32 cookies

Directions:

Stir together in medium bowl, and set aside:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. salt

In large mixer bowl, beat the brown sugar and butter together till light and fluffy
1 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup butter at room temperature
Then beat in:
1/4 cup molasses
1 tsp. vanilla

And finally, beat in:
1 egg

When it's all mixed together, place mixing bowl in fridge for about 10-15 minutes.

Roll dough by hand into 1-inch balls. Roll the balls to coat completely in :

bowl of white sugar for coating (a couple of tablespoons)

Place 2-inches apart on parchment-lined cookie sheet.  Slightly flatten with the bottom of a glass (just squish a little, not too much.)

Bake in preheated oven (375 F) for 8 minutes.

Remove from oven. Allow to cool for a few minutes and remove to cooling rack.