Grandpa H's Ginger Snaps
Apr. 19th, 2009 08:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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omnomnomThese are the Best Ginger Cookies Ever. Though I could be a tad biased ;) This is from an old family recipe, and I don't know precisely where Gramps got it. Possibly his Swedish grandmother.
3/4 C shortening (or butter)
1 egg
1 C sugar
5 Tbsp molasses
2 C flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
Cream sugar together with the fat, then beat in molasses and egg. Mix dry ingredients together in a separate bowl, then gradually add to wet ingredients. Chill the dough. Form into balls and roll in sugar. Press flat with bottom of a glass dipped in sugar. Bake at 375F for 10 minutes.
* Butter will give you a softer cookie (crisp and chewy); shortening will give you the snap. Margarine will give you a sad cookie ;)
* If you want, you could probably form the dough into a log, then chill and slice. I have yet to try this, myself, but it sounds easier than getting cookie gunk all over my hands.
* A 3" glass works the best.
* Molasses is really the key, here. I use blackstrap, because it has such a gorgeous flavor (and tons of minerals, like iron. Makes 'em health food!)
* I also use demerara sugar and "white wheat" flour (from King Arthur.)
* Try adding a pinch of cardamom, nutmeg, or allspice.
3/4 C shortening (or butter)
1 egg
1 C sugar
5 Tbsp molasses
2 C flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
Cream sugar together with the fat, then beat in molasses and egg. Mix dry ingredients together in a separate bowl, then gradually add to wet ingredients. Chill the dough. Form into balls and roll in sugar. Press flat with bottom of a glass dipped in sugar. Bake at 375F for 10 minutes.
* Butter will give you a softer cookie (crisp and chewy); shortening will give you the snap. Margarine will give you a sad cookie ;)
* If you want, you could probably form the dough into a log, then chill and slice. I have yet to try this, myself, but it sounds easier than getting cookie gunk all over my hands.
* A 3" glass works the best.
* Molasses is really the key, here. I use blackstrap, because it has such a gorgeous flavor (and tons of minerals, like iron. Makes 'em health food!)
* I also use demerara sugar and "white wheat" flour (from King Arthur.)
* Try adding a pinch of cardamom, nutmeg, or allspice.