Gingersnaps

With all of the cold weather we've had over the past few months, I was inspired to make Gingersnaps, the classic Christmas cookie. This recipe comes from my sister, Sue, and is adapted from Cookies for Christmas by Marie Robbins. Sue has reduced the clove by 1/4 teaspoon, as well as omitted the vinegar. Her husband, John, has added his own special touch, which is rolling the dough in sugar and cayenne pepper for just a little extra kick.

Be sure to check out their new book, Little Farm in the Foothills: A Boomer Couple's Search for the Slow Life. Once you read it, you'll want to move out to the country, too, and start baking your own bread and cooking on the wood stove by candlelight.

Gingersnaps

2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger (rounded)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground clove
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup molasses
1/4 cup sugar, plus additional to prevent sticking
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment.

Combine flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon and clove in a medium bowl; set aside.

Cream butter and brown sugar in a stand mixer. Add in egg and molasses, beating until thoroughly combined. Add in dry ingredients slowly, stirring only until incorporated.

Using a small scoop, form the cookies into balls. With a standard cookie scoop, form balls, then cut each in half and form 2 smaller balls.*

Roll dough in mixture of sugar and cayenne. Place on prepared cookie sheets. Flatten each ball to approximately 1/2-inch thick with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar.

Bake for 8 to 11 minutes, depending on desired crispness.

*To prevent cookies from losing their shape, you may wish to refrigerate the dough for a few minutes before baking each batch.