GOURMET GINGER SNAP COOKIES RECIPES

Steps:

• Whisk 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, cloves, black pepper, and cayenne together in a large mixing bowl until thoroughly mixed.
• Cream together butter and 2/3 cup sugar in a separate bowl until pale yellow and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add candied ginger, molasses, vanilla, and egg. Whisk mixture until well blended. Add dry ingredients to butter/sugar mixture and stir just until the flour disappears. Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour 1/2 cup white sugar in a shallow dish for rolling cookies.
• 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 prepared baking sheet. Slightly flatten cookies to about 1/4 inch thick; sprinkle with a pinch more sugar.
• Bake in preheated oven until cookies are your desired crispiness or chewiness, 10 to 15 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Sift the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a mixing bowl. Stir the mixture to blend evenly, and sift a second time into another bowl.
• Place the shortening into a mixing bowl and beat until creamy. Gradually beat in the white sugar. Beat in the egg, and dark molasses. Sift 1/3 of the flour mixture into the shortening mixture; stir to thoroughly blend. Sift in the remaining flour mixture, and mix together until a soft dough forms. Pinch off small amounts of dough and roll into 1 inch diameter balls between your hands. Roll each ball in cinnamon sugar, and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven until the tops are rounded and slightly cracked, about 10 minutes. Cool cookies on a wire rack. Store in an air tight container.