Very Ginger Cookies

 

These chewy ginger cookies have a blast of ginger flavor from ground, crystallized, and fresh ginger-infused sugar. I was worried that the ginger flavor might be a little too intense, so I chopped the candied ginger into very small pieces to scatter the flavor throughout the cookie.  I think the balance of ginger and other spices is perfect! I made ginger sugar (see recipe) to roll the cookies in. I was intrigued by the idea of letting fresh, chopped ginger infuse into granulated sugar. I think I left the ginger in my sugar a little too long and the sugar got really wet... however, once I removed the fresh ginger, the sugar started to dry out. I left it out to dry overnight, then ran it through a food processor to remove clumps - and in the end it was good. But regular granulated sugar works just as well!

RECIPE: Very Ginger Cookies
Makes about 48 cookies

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 - 3/4 cup finely snipped crystallized ginger
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
3/4 cup ginger sugar* or granulated sugar

*Ginger Sugar: In a small bowl, combine 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh ginger. Let stand for 1 hour (sugar will clump slightly from moisture in ginger). Place mixture in a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl. Stir gently to separate sugar from ginger. Discard ginger.

DIRECTIONS:
In a medium bowl, stir together flour, ground ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and cloves. Stir in crystallized ginger.

In a large bowl, combine shortening and butter. Beat with a mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar. Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and molasses until combined. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can with the mixer, then stir in any remaining flour. Cover and chill about 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle (you could also  refrigerate dough for several days).

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper. 

Place ginger sugar in a small bowl. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in ginger sugar to coat. Place balls 1.5 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet.

Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until edges are set. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and cool.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature, or freeze for several months.