Chef John’s Gingersnap Cookies

Description

The amazing spicy-sweet flavor and irresistible texture of these cookies will please even a non-cookie eater like me. You can adjust the spices to suit your tastes but remember, they’re called ‘snaps’ for reasons other than texture!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon fine salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • ⅔ cup white sugar
  • ⅓ cup finely minced candied ginger
  • ¼ cup molasses
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • ½ cup white sugar, or as needed for rolling cookies

Instructions

  1. Whisk 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour
  2. ground ginger
  3. cinnamon
  4. baking soda
  5. salt
  6. cloves
  7. black pepper
  8. and cayenne together in a large mixing bowl until thoroughly mixed.
  9. Cream together butter and 2/3 cup sugar in a separate bowl until pale yellow and creamy
  10. about 2 minutes. Add candied ginger
  11. molasses
  12. vanilla
  13. and egg. Whisk mixture until well blended. Add flour mixture to butter mixture and stir just until the flour disappears. Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled
  14. about 1 hour.
  15. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour 1/2 cup white sugar into a shallow dish for rolling cookies.
  16. Scoop out about 1 1/2 teaspoons dough with a small scoop or teaspoon. Form dough into balls and roll in white sugar. Place cookies on the prepared baking sheet. Slightly flatten cookies to about 1/4-inch thick; sprinkle with a pinch more sugar.
  17. Bake in batches in the preheated oven until cookies are your desired crispiness or chewiness
  18. 10 to 15 minutes.

Servings: 20

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