Gingersnaps

[Jack and Kay Hartman]

I made some gingersnaps tonight so I could crumble them up for a
gingersnap crust. Jack wanted me to make him some oatmeal cookies.
I asked him if the ginger snaps wouldn't be good enough since I was
already making them but he insisted he wanted oatmeal. I made the
gingersnaps. Jack ate the first one. He was pretty wowed. I tasted
a bite of his. I was wowed. OK. He doesn't need the oatmeal
cookies today. Jack said that these are the best gingersnaps he's
ever eaten. I concur. I am a gingersnap lover so my opinion may not
weigh that much. Jack can take or leave gingersnaps so that fact
that he likes these so much is meaningful. It is to me at least.

The gingersnap recipe comes from Four-star Desserts by Emily
Luchetti. She makes these with a stand mixer. I made the whole
thing with a mixing bowl and a soup spoon.

Kay

Snappy Gingersnaps

Approximately 3 1/2 dozen

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses
4 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger [I used 2 tablespoons]
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer using the paddle attachment, beat
the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and creamy. Add the
egg and then the molasses. Mix until combined. Decrease to low
speed and mix in the ground ginger, grated ginger, baking soda, salt,
and flour. [I sifted the baking soda, salt, and flour together
before adding them to the batter.] Do not overmix.

Using about 1 tablespoon of dough for each cookie, roll into 1 inch
balls, placing them 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.
Bake until flat and evenly brown, about 13 minutes. Cool and then
remove the cookies from the baking trays.

[Maureen Scobie]

Gingersnap lovers of the world thank you heartily for this recipe.
Bless you,
Maureen.