Ginger Snaps and Molasses Cookies

My husband's grandpa always kept a tin of ginger snaps in his desk drawer, ready to share. My husband thought they were some of the most delightful cookies, and when he inherited the desk, decided he needed some cookies to go with it. This sent me on a quest to find a ginger-molasses cookies recipe we all enjoyed.

These two, Swedish Ginger Snaps and Molasses Sugar Cookies, are my favorites. Serve with coffee, chi tea, hot cocoa or vanilla-bean ice cream. They also make wonderful gifts.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup bacon grease
• 1 cup sugar, plus more for rolling
• 1/3 cup dark molasses
• 1 large egg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour or 1 cup whole wheat and 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a large bowl, cream together bacon grease and sugar. Add in egg and molasses. Add remaining ingredients and thoroughly combine.
3. Shape dough into walnut sized balls, roll in sugar and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten with fingers or the bottom of a glass.
4. Bake until cookies are golden and cracked on top, 10-12 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Store in and airtight container.

Makes: 3 dozen

I love to use this recipe as the crust for my cheese cake. Simply press the dough into the pan 1/4" thick and bake 15 minutes.

Makes: 3-9 dozen cookies, 3" - 1" across

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 2 cups granulated sugar, plus more to roll the cookies in before baking
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 cups flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 357 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a large sized bowl beat butter, eggs, sugar and molasses together.
3. In a second bowl mix together dry ingredients. Add to first mixture and mix well.
4. Bake as directed, cool on wire racks.  Store in an airtight container.

• To make 3" cookies form golf ball sized balls, roll in extra sugar and place 3" apart on baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes.
• To make 2" cookies form 1" balls, roll in extra sugar and place 2" apart on baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes.
• To make 1" crisp cookies, use a cookie press. You may want to add extra flour to the dough, to prevent the cookies from spreading too much. Sprinkle with sugar and bake until edges are brown, 6-8 minutes.

Ivorwen, 2009.

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