Ginger Snaps

My grandmother gave us a tin of homemade cookies every year for Christmas.  Inevitably there would be ginger snaps in the mix.  It was the only time of year that we ate ginger snaps and it was never a cookie that my mom would buy so I was always so excited for them.  That isn’t the only thing that excited me.  She always put these little silver balls in the cookies.  I had never seen them before in a cookie so it seemed magical that you could eat these shiny things.  Consequently, I looked forward to that tin of cookies every year.  I don’t put them in my cookies because I am saving it for my grandchildren.  I feel like it should be something special from grandmother to a grandchild.

Why is it that the combination of molasses, ginger, and cloves can only be eaten in the fall and winter?  I don’t know.  I think we should be able to eat them all the time!  However, these smells and tastes sure do evoke fall and winter memories.  So I guess we’ll just keep them in their rightful place.

I have to be honest.  These cookies do not snap!  Oh no, as my daughters were eating them warm off the cookie sheet they suggested that the name be “Ginger Bends,” because as they held them up they were still warm enough to bend over slightly.  Perfect for me who loves soft cookies.  Not too perfect if you are a crunchy cookie lover.  That being said, let them cook a little longer and you’ll have a snappier cookie!  For me, I’ll take the “Ginger Bends.”  For perfectly round cookies, it is important to form the dough into round one inch balls (or bigger if you like a bitter cookie) and then roll them in sugar.  This is an extra step, but worth it for those oh so pretty cookies.

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Ginger Snaps

Perfect fall cookie combining molasses, ginger, and cloves.  Roll in sugar to make a crisp outside and soft middle.

Course Dessert

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 36

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups butter softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 2 eggs
• 4 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ginger
• 2 tsp cloves
• Sugar for coating the cookie dough ball

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.  

2. Mix all ingredients in a stand mixer in order listed.  Form dough into one inch balls, roll in sugar to coat, and place on the cookie sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the dough begins to crack.  Let cool for 5 minutes and transfer to cooling rack.  Enjoy!