Totally Ginger Gingersnaps

Somehow, while we were walking the dog one morning last week, Sweetie and I started talking about gingersnaps - I think I had seen a recipe for Bananas Foster with Gingersnap Crumble online...and we discovered that Sweetie loves gingersnaps and that I haven't baked them for him in a long time, if ever. Molasses cookies, yes, but not gingersnaps. Well, I might have, but have no memory of it.

The difference, of course, is the ginger. The recipe which I used yesterday is from Dorie Greenspan's book Dorie's Cookies. It uses  ground ginger, of course, but also candied ginger, finely chopped (and steamed if not pliable, which mine wasn't), plus twice that amount in fresh ginger. The recipe called for finely chopped, but I discovered with the Butternut Squash Soup recently that finely chopped still leaves tiny chunks of heat, so I grated mine on a microplane and I loved the result...still plenty of heat, but distributed through each bite, not as surprising chunks here and there. All in all, this is a cookie for true ginger lovers because the ginger is assertive. Because I can't seem to leave well enough alone, I also added the zest from 1 lemon. My favorite thing with gingerbread is sweet lemon sauce, so it seemed like a good addition, and it was! I also used a stand mixer instead of a food processor because I was feeling too lazy to clean up the food processor. Buy Dorie's book for food processor directions...it's a great book!

In case you decide to make these, be warned that they need to chill for at least 2 hours after making the batter and before baking. The baking itself goes fairly quickly and the results are a delicious, slightly chewy cookie that is moist with just a tiny bit of crispiness on the edges. If you want a crispier cookie, bake for another minute or two. Sweetie likes his cookies moist and chewy.

Citrus Enhanced Princeton Gingersnaps

a variation on Princeton Gingersnaps in Dorie Greenspan's Dorie's Cookies
Makes about 50-60 cookies

2 tablespoons peeled fresh ginger, finely chopped or grated
1 tablespoon moist, pliable crystallized ginger, finely chopped
zest of 1 small to medium lemon
2 teaspoons, plus 1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon each: ground cinnamon, cloves, ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/2 sticks, 12 tablespoons, 6 oz. unsalted butter, cut into chunks, at room temperature
1/4 cup unsulfured full flavor molasses
1 large egg, lightly beaten, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Sugar, for dredging (some can be sanding sugar)

Put the fresh ginger, crystallized ginger and lemon zest in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the 2 teaspoons sugar. Stir. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, spices and salt. Set aside.

Put the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until fluffy. Add the remaining sugar (1 cup) and molasses beat to combine. Add the ginger/lemon mixture and beat to combine. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Scrape the bowl and beater. Add the flour mixture and pulse the mixer a few times to avoid flour clouds, then mix on low just until the flour is incorporated. Scrape beater and bowl and then stir mixture with a spatula once or twice to make sure all flour is mixed in. Flatten dough in bowl and cover with plastic. Refrigerate 2 hours or longer.

When ready to bake, position racks in oven in thirds. Preheat to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or Silpat mat. Put the sugar(s) in a bowl.

Using a teaspoon or small cookie dough scoop, scoop dough into your palm and roll to form a ball. Drop the ball into the sugar and roll to dredge all over, then place ball on the cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. These cookies tend to spread and flatten. Don't push the balls down. If dough warms too much, put back in fridge to cool until easier to handle.

Bake in preheated oven for between 14 and 18 minutes, depending on how crisp you like them. 14-15 will yield the most chewy/moist cookies. Cookie tend to harden a bit as they cool. Cool on cookie sheet a minute, then cool the rest of the way on a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.