Cozy Crisp & Soft Baked Ginger Snap Cookies
November 6, 2012 § 14 Comments
Lately, I’ve had a flat-cookie-problem. It’s gone on for some time now. It always goes like this: I am hopeful at the start, but after the first minute of those little guys-of-goodness in the oven, I know as soon as they melt down and spread out, they are destined to be lifeless little crisp frisbees. For this very reason, I’ve suppressed my cookie making urges. Cozy movie days feel very empty.
They still taste good, I guess. But let’s take a poll (the only poll I dare to discuss today): would you rather have an ugly wafer cookie, or one with a soft middle that absorbs into a tall glass of milk?
This fine line makes cookie baking a true art form. So in regards to recent (flat) events, these kitchen strikeouts have certainly taken a toll on my self-esteem.
I’ve heard all the tricks. I’ve done my research. At first, I chose to blame it on the oven. Then I travelled across the Atlantic Ocean to find out I had to face the music. Twas not the oven at all.
YET AT LAST. Just this past week, my flat-cookie-problem spell was broken, when I gave birth to 15 gingersnap cookies, each with a full belly. I was overjoyed as I watched them grow in the oven. My heart palpitated with ANXIETY for the first bite.
These did something I did not plan for: a thin outer layer of crunch and crisp, followed by a chewy, soft middle. The tops, crackled and sugar coated. A surprising zing of spice and sweet flavor, one I could spring for.
This is the spiced cookie to indulge in as the weather urges us to bundle up and stay inside. The days are getting shorter and snow might fall soon, but cookies make us all a little warmer. Hot apple cider, anyone?
cozy crisp & soft baked ginger snap cookies
makes about 16 cookies
adapted from Ina Garten, 2006 Barefoot Contessa
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsps ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsps ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp fresh minced ginger OR add another 1/4 tsp of more ground ginger
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup unsulfured molasses
1 extra-large egg, at room temperature
Granulated sugar, for rolling the cookies
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a large bowl, sift together the first 7 ingredients (flour through salt). Mix and combine together.
In a separate bowl, mix and beat together the oil, brown sugar, and molasses. If you have an electric mixer, you should beat together for 5 minutes on medium speed. After, turn the speed down to low, and add the egg; mix for 1 minute.
If using fresh ginger, add it to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Then, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredient bowl and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.
The dough should be dry and sandy in texture. Scoop dough into small 3/4 inch balls; using your thumb, press a slight indent into the ball. Roll in granulated sugar and place onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.
Bake for exactly 12 minutes. Cool for 1-2 minutes on the sheet, and move to a cooling rack thereafter.
Yummy! You sound like a proud cookie momma, Katie! :)
I WAS! It has been a long time coming, and a source of much sadness ;).
Omg these look heavenly!
Don’t they?! Their a must try! I secretly can’t wait until I finish the batch I made, because they seem to call my name after every meal I eat…
The trick is the sugar:flour ratio! If your cookie are coming out too flat for your tastes (though I personally like flat cookies…), try decreasing the amount of sugar you used (like from 1c to 1/2c). They’ll still be sweet!
YA! So much advice in that department. It’s hard to keep track. And I’m so conscious of that whole ‘overmixing’ jig. I’m starting to doubt that whole issue in general though. I will try to keep to your rule– there’s definitely lots of truth in that.
These look & sound sooooo good – Definitely making these and having some hot apple cider (great suggestion!)
Rigggght, and dunk them in of course!
These look perfect…my favorite cookie style for sure :)
Those cookies look awesome! I also suffer from frequent flat-cookie problems… (well not that frequent, since if I baked cookies more often than rarely, then I’m sure I’d get the hang of it eventually… something about butter temperature maybe?). But then again every once in a while I’ll take on a cookie recipe and end up with cookies that don’t flatten out * enough *… Yours looks like they’ve found a perfect happy medium! : )
I loved these cookies. They are satisfying and delicious and not too sweet.
Haha I LOVE the way you talk about these/your cookie journey!! And I can’t believe there’s an Ina cookie recipe without butter? Well, you’ve definitely sold me on these. When I make gingersnaps next, I’m making these :)
Erika! It was traumatizing hahah like I claim to love cooking and baking but can’t seem to get my cookie game together. And are you by any chance Ina obsessed, too? I want to hang out with her and Jeffrey.
Um YES. I am obsessed with her double chocolate layer cake. It’s just the best chocolate cake everrrr. And they are such a cute couple, so cute :) I kind of want to be their child. Weird?
And lol I totally get you. I claim to be pancake obsessed but I made the WORST pancakes the other day! Peanut butter flax chocolate protein powder chocolate pancakes that had so much potential but were just…so. Dry. Talk about traumatizing!