Soft Ginger Cookies

Source: modified allrecipes.com user AMY1028

Yield: ~4 doz small cookies

Rating: 5 of 5

Ingredients

• 2 ¼ c. all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. ground dried ginger, rounded
• 1 tsp. baking soda, rounded
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp. ground cloves
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ¾ c. butter, softened
• 1 c. white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 Tbsp. water
• ¼ c. molasses
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract (double-fold preferred)
• white sugar for rolling, approx 1/4 c.

Directions

• Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
• In a second bowl, cream together the butter and 1 c. sugar until fluffy.
• Beat in the egg, then stir in the water, molasses, and vanilla.
• Gradually add the sifted dry ingredients until fully combined.
• Shape dough into walnut-sized balls (for large cookies) or slightly smaller than one-inch balls (for small cookies). Roll them in the remaining white sugar to evenly coat.
• Place to cookies two inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Gently press the tops of the cookies to flatten them slightly.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes (7 minute for small cookies).
• Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes. Remove to cooling racks. Store in an airtight container.

Notes

• 2017 Givens Lane: for MeFi swap; small cookies, 340 deg F @ 8 min in new black stove (just slightly too long; not all of them remained chewy after fully cooling).
• The cookies seem undercooked at first (tops not set and about to collapse) but that's key to keeping them soft and chewy.