Triple Ginger Dairy-Free Gingersnap Cookies

Ginger cookies are my favorite cookies. Gingery, spicy, sweet, crunchy aromatic and pleasing crackled rounds – these cookies appeal to all the senses. My parents treated me to a lovely dinner last summer at Arethusa Farm's dairy to table restaurant, Al Tavolo. The dinner was delicious and the service impeccable! The chef sent out a complimentary dessert of gingersnaps and fresh milk from the Arethusa dairy. While I did not drink the milk, the small gingersnap was spectacular that sent me on a yearlong journey to recreate that one bite cookie. These triple ginger cookies are spicy and sweet with a wonderful snap! I make my own crystallized ginger (recipe below) but store bought works well too.

Triple Ginger Dairy-Free Gingersnap Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda *corrected 12/3

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger powder

1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

¼ to ½ cup crystallized or candied ginger depending on the amount of zing you prefer (recipe below)

1 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup canola oil (any neutral flavored oil will work)

1 egg

1/3 cup molasses

¼ cup natural cane sugar or turbinado sugar if you like extra crunchy texture for coating cookies

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a medium bowl whisk together flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment beat the oil and sugar until well combined.

Add egg, molasses, and fresh ginger and mix until combined.

On low speed, slowly add the flour mixture and mix until just blended.

Add the candied or crystallized ginger and mix to combine.

Scoop cookies with 1 inch cookie scoop and roll into sugar.

Place balls on a parchment lined baking sheet about 3 inches apart.

Bake 8 to 12 minutes or until well browned (8 minutes for convection oven, 12 for conventional oven, generally).

Remove cookies from oven using a metal spatula, remove cookies from cookie sheet and place on a wire rack.

Cool completely.

Store in an airtight container.

Candied or Crystallized Ginger

8 ounces fresh ginger peeled and sliced thin (1/8 inch thick)

2 ½ cups water

Granulated sugar

In a heavy bottomed saucepan, put sliced ginger and water and set over medium-high heat.

Cover and cook until the ginger is tender, about 30 minutes.

Drain the ginger in a colander, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid.

Weigh the ginger and measure out an equal amount of sugar.

Return the ginger and the 1/4 cup of reserved cooking liquid to the pan and add the sugar.

Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.

Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar syrup looks dry, has almost evaporated and begins to recrystallize, approximately 20 minutes.

Transfer the ginger immediately to the cooling rack and spread to separate the individual pieces.

Cool completely then store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Ginger Snaps

Gingersnaps hold a special place in my heart.  Gingersnaps draw upon memories of my Granny and her homemade gingersnaps.  I was a young preteen and she made them for a cousin's wedding reception.  While the wedding ceremony was serious and formal at the Catholic church full of Latin words, mysterious symbols, hand gestures and knee bends, the wedding reception was held at the American Legion hall and was filled with hundreds of family members  laughter, polka music and the sound of many voices that filled the room. I was in wonderment that I was part of such a large group of people because my family had just recently moved back to our home state after living in California for many years and my family experience consisted of the members who visited.  Men stood around the bar drinking and smoking cigarettes, cigars and pipes while the ladies of the family were busy with the buffet table which was partially catered by an outside company in addition to the aunts, cousins and grandmothers who brought dishes for the buffet table as well.  I can still see the ladies adjusting their plates, talking about their dishes promising recipes.  Granny put out her gingersnaps and I was in love.  I recently had given up chocolate to save my preteen skin so those gingersnaps quickly moved into my favorite cookie!!  That night I danced my first polka with my father, was dazzled by that big family, and had a lot fun with my many cousins.

This is not my Granny's recipe but this cookie is a taste sensation with the roundness of the butter and spicy ginger.  Makes these as soft or as crisp as you desire.

Ginger Snap Cookies
Makes about 3 dozen
Preheat oven to 350ºF 
Ingredients

2 cups (280 g) flour

1½ teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom, cloves, nutmeg or allspice - optional

11 tablespoons (150 g) butter at room temperature

3/4 cup (130 g) sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ cup (80 g) mild-flavored molasses* (sometimes called 'light' molasses)

1 large egg, at room temperature

Coarse, natural, fine, sanding or table sugar for coating the cookies, if desired.  (I prefer them without the sugar) 

Directions

Stir together the dry ingredients in a medium size bowl.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, or by hand, beat the butter just until soft and fluffy. 
Add the sugar and continue to beat until smooth, stopping the mixer to scrape down any butter clinging to the sides of the bowl.

Stir in the vanilla, molasses and egg.

Mix in the dry ingredients gradually until the dough is smooth.
Put your mixer bowl straight in the refrigerator, after scraping down the sides, and chill for 30 minutes.
Scoop the dough a 1½ Tablespoon cookie scoop and place on cookie sheets. 
Coat with sugar by gently lifting ball and dipping into sugar if using.
This method makes a a cookie that  spreads and cracks nicely  as it bakes!
If desired shape dough into two logs, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 24 hours for a refrigerator slice and bake cookie.

Shape and texture of cookie using the log method.

Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Bake for 10-14 minutes, rotating the baking sheets midway during baking, until deep-golden brown. The cookies will puff up a bit while baking, then settle down when they’re done. Bake on the lower end of the range for softer cookies, and more for snappier ones, depending on your oven.

Let the cookies cool two minutes, then remove them with a spatula and transfer them to a cooling rack.

Storage: The dough can be refrigerated for up to five days, or frozen for up to three months. Once baked, the cookies can be kept in an air-tight container for a couple of days but like anything made with butter, of course they’re best the day they’re baked.

The last photo shoot Mr. Muffins (circa 1991-2013)

Recipe adapted from Alice Waters "The Art of Simple Food"

Ginger Cookies

My Dad prefers a soft cookie versus a crunchy cookie.  He likes this recipe for the softness of the cookies, the ginger and molasses flavor.  They are like gingersnaps minus the snap.

It is wonderful how one simple act - the act of baking for your family - can make a simple moment become a sweet memory. One year when I was home visiting during the winter and the house was full of family - adults, children and babies - my Dad decided to make a batch of these cookies late in the afternoon, right at that hour when your brain is signalling you for some kind of small nourishment.  His timing was perfect and it only brought forward the cozy and playful togetherness of family.  If my Dad is involved in anything, from church to picnics, there is always some kind of horseplay or silliness going on.  That day, as the house filled with a good spicy smell, admid the laughter, and chatter, everyone gathered in the kitchen to sample a cookie or two - they were delicious. The cookies did not spend much time on the cooling racks before being eaten. Then too everyone's surprise and disappointment they were gone before the oven cooled down. Try these cookies they are spicy and do get crunchier over time.

Dad's Ginger Cookies

Makes about 36

1 stick of butter (½ cup)

1 cup sugar

pinch  salt

1 egg

¼ cup molasses

2 cups flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 F°  

Mix together the dry ingredients (flour, cinnamon, ginger and baking soda).

Cream the butter, sugar and salt together.

Beat in egg and molasses.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients gradually.

Mix until combined.

Roll into small balls (walnut size) then roll in granulated sugar.

Bake 7-9 minutes.