Ron’s parents have been bringing us tons of ginger (it’s supposed to help me recover faster from childbirth) so we need to use it somehow since we just can’t eat it all. Although this recipe for gingersnaps does not use a lot of ginger, at least it uses fresh ginger.

This recipe is adapted from Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook.

INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves (omitted)
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1-1/4 cup dark brown sugar (used 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, 1 cup light brown sugar)
1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
1-1/2 tbsp finely grated, peeled ginger (used 2-1/2 tbsp)
1 large egg
1/4 cup granulated sugar

DIRECTIONS
1. In large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves (if using), pepper, and salt; set aside.
2. In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter, brown sugar(s), molasses, and ginger on med-hi speed until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes), scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in the egg until smooth and combined (~1 minute). Add flour mixture, and beat on low speed until just combined. Transfer dough to a bowl and wrap in plastic; refrigerate until well chilled, about 1 hour or overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 350 F, with racks in the center and lower third. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place granulated sugar in a shallow bowl; roll balls in sugar to coat completely, and place about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets.
4. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are deep golden all over and centers are firm, 15-18 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

The cookies are soft when you first take them out of the oven but they harden as they cool. The outside is a bit crispy/crunchy but chewy in the center. The ginger flavor is pretty strong and gives the cookie a kick! Martha Stewart suggests that these cookies are good for crushing up to make a pie crust… sounds like a good idea?