Old-Fashioned Gingersnaps
These spicy cookies are both chewy and crisp. For a spicier cookie, add about ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper. It gives heat to the cinnamon without adding flavor.
INGREDIENTS | YIELDS 36 COOKIES
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- ¼ cup shortening
- ½ cup butter
- 1 egg
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup unsulfured molasses
- Sugar for rolling
Sift together baking soda, salt, flour, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves; set aside.
Cream shortening, butter, and 1 cup of sugar. Blend in molasses and egg.
Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture; blend well. Cover and chill 30 minutes or longer.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter baking sheets.
Shape dough into walnut-sized balls; roll in sugar.
Place 2" apart on baking sheets; bake 12 minutes. Cool completely.
About Molasses
There are usually several different kinds of molasses on the shelves at the grocery store, and it can be confusing to try and figure out which one to use. For most dessert baking, unsulfured molasses is the best choice. It has a milder flavor and less of an aftertaste than blackstrap molasses. It is extracted from the sugar cane without the use of sulfur dioxide.
