Sarah's Ginger Cookies

Photo by:

Sarah Kieffer

Ginger cookies will never fail to invoke memories of my Great-Aunt Frannie. Opening the door to her home meant breathing in the faint smell of ginger and molasses, no matter whether it was winter or spring, and her freezer was forever packed with a baker’s dozen, plus some. While her version was sweet and full of snap, I’ve gone the opposite direction and made mine tender, with a bit of spice.

Ingredients

2½ cups [355 g] all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons Peni Miris Cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Basiya Ginger
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon grated Anamalai Nutmeg
Pinch Kandyan Cloves
12 tablespoons [1½ sticks or 170 g] unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup [150 g] brown sugar
½ cup [100 g] granulated sugar, plus ½ cup [100 g] for rolling
1/3 cup [113 g] light molasses
1 large egg plus 1 large yolk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ cup [32 g] crystallized ginger, cut into tiny pieces

Methods

Adjust an oven rack to the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F [180°C]. Line three sheet pans with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, ginger, salt, nutmeg, and cloves.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and ½ cup [100 g] of the granulated sugar, and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the molasses and beat on low speed until well combined, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Add the egg, yolk, and vanilla, and mix on low speed to combine. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined. Add the crystallized ginger and mix into the batter on low speed.
Form the dough into 11/2 oz [45 g] balls (2 tablespoons). Roll each ball in the remaining ½ cup [100 g] of granulated sugar, and place 8 cookies on each sheet pan.
Bake one pan at a time, rotating halfway through baking. Bake until the cookies are puffed with cracks running along the tops, 9 minutes for soft cookies, and 10 to 11 minutes for a cakier cookie. Transfer the sheet pans to a wire rack and let the cookies cool completely. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days