Ginger snaps are fabulous cookies for any special occasion. In fact, even without a special occasion, these cookies are special. In case you have never had one, a ginger snap is a lovely, crispy, spicy cookie that is extra delicious when dunked in milk or coffee. Like all of my favorite recipes, they are really easy to make and relatively healthy. Oil is easier for our bodies to process than butter or shortening, and it makes the tops of these cookies crackle beautifully. Moreover, the molasses is full of B vitamins. Finally, some people argue that ginger is good for keeping those winter cold and flu germs away. However, regardless of your stance on healthy deserts, these cookies are delicious.

I made a batch yesterday and they were a big hit with a house full of friends and family, and now I'm sharing the recipe so that you can wow people by baking your own fresh, homemade ginger snaps for the Presidential Innoguration, or any old time!

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour (I use the whole wheat pastry flour)

2 teaspoons baking soda (or just under)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground ginger

3/4 cup vegetable or canola oil

1/4 cup molasses (I use black strap molasses, but other types are fine if you prefer)

1 egg

1/3 cup white sugar for decoration

Instructions:

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger. In a second bowl, combine the brown sugar, oil, molasses, and egg. Note that in baking, sugar counts as a "wet" ingredient. If you are using a standing mixer (I use the KitchenAid Classic in the list above), blend the wet ingredients in the mixer, combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, and then add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl. If you are not using a standing mixer, then add the dry ingredients to the wet ones a bit at a time and stir with a large wooden spoon.

The resulting cookie dough will have an unusual texture because of the oil and molasses. Don't work the cookie dough any more than you must to combine the ingredients thoroughly. Remember, overworking the dough will cause the flour to release gluten and make your cookies really tough and difficult to bite into. In fact, I prefer to use pastry flour because of it's lower gluten content for that very reason.

Anyway, now it's time to form the cookie dough into one-inch balls. Put the 1/2 cup of white sugar into a small bowl. Roll each ball in sugar, then place it on an ungreased non-stick baking sheet. A baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone pad works great, too, as each cookie will have some sugar on the bottom. The balls should be spaced far apart on baking sheet, as they will spread out quite a bit! Bake the cookies for 10 minutes or until large, puffy, and crackled on top. As every oven is a little different, watch the first batch carefully so you know exactly how long to bake your ginger snaps. Personal preference also plays a role in baking time, too. Try baking some a little longer than others to make them extra crispy, then see how you like them. Enjoy!!!

Content Copyright of author and Earthly Happenings