This recipe was a gift from my mom. We went to visit over the holidays two years ago and these cookies were hard to resist. They are soft and sweet, and the combination of ginger and molasses does something that makes them just unique enough that they will become a favorite in your home as well.
As mom’s do…my mom promptly made a copy of the recipe when she found out how much they were adored by my contingent of family and now I am able to share with you. The recipe calls for cookies that are a 1/4 cup in size…I don’t go that big with the cookie, but the taste is just the same. Just watch for the variations on cook time below depending on the size of the cookies that you make.
Ginger Cookies
Ingredients:
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
- 4 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 c shortening (can substitute unsalted butter)
- 2 cups + 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup molasses
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in one bowl.
- In a large mixing bowl, or stand mixer, beat shortening on low speed for 30 seconds. Then add the 2 cups of sugar. Beat until fully combined. You may need to scrape the sides a few times.
- Beat in eggs and molasses next. Add the flour mixture a little at a time and incorporate into the dough.
- Pour the remaining 3/4 cup sugar in bowl. Shape the dough into 1 inch balls (smaller cookie) and roll in the sugar to coat fully. Place cookie balls on the sheet pan (12 per pan max for your std baking sheet). Bake for 8-9 minutes until the bottoms are lightly browned and tops are puffed (do not over bake).
- Cool on the cookie sheet for 1 min and finish cooling on wire rack.
Variation – Larger Cookie:
- Roll dough into 2 inch balls, coat in sugar and place them approx 2 1/2 inch apart on the pan (approx 6 per std baking sheet). Bake for 11-13 minutes until bottoms are lightly brown and tops are puffy (do not over bake). Cool in the same manner above.
Happy Baking!!!
**Recipe from Better Homes & Gardens.
experimentalspoon.com 