Saturday, December 18, 2010

Chewy Ginger Cookies

The Mission:
Make yet another kind of cookie for Christmas this year that is tasty and delicious. I selected these chewy ginger cookies that I've made in the past but apparently never blogged about. They come out very soft so if you're looking for crunchy ginger snaps, this is not the recipe for you! But if you enjoy a chewy, spicy treat - then give this recipe a try. (This is a doubled recipe and makes about 8 dozen or so cookies)


The Ingredients:
  • 4 and 1/2 cups flour
  • 4 and 1/2 tsp gruond ginger
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 and 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 and 1/2 cups shortening
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs (not 4 like pictured)
  • 1/2 cup molasses
  • 3/4 cup extra sugar for rolling

The Instructions:

  1. In a large mixing bowl cream the shortening, eggs, 2 cups sugar, and molasses.
  2. Beat in all of the spices and mix well. Gradually add the flour and mix until dough is formed.
  3. If desired, refrigerate dough for an hour or so. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and roll each ball in the extra sugar.
  4. Place sugar coated balls on a non-greased cookie sheet and press down lightly with the bottom of a glass.
  5. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in a preheated 350*F oven or until cookies are done. Cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container.

The Results & Reviews:

They turned out really well and I'm glad I learned the trick of pressing them down a bit with a glass before baking. They don't spread very far and I found that if they weren't pressed down, they came out a little humped and underdone in the middles. Now - ginger cookies are not beloved by all people like chocolate chip are, so some people won't care too much for them. I found that it's nothing personal. I happen to love ginger, so of course I like this recipe. Mom would rather have them crunchy and thinner so next year I'm going to make a dozen or so that are pressed much flatter than normal to see how they turn out!

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