Gingersnap Cookies

It took several tries to get the crisp texture and cracked tops characteristic of gingersnap cookies, tweaking the recipe a little each time. When I finally noticed that I’ve been mistakenly using baking powder instead of baking soda, it turned out that the original recipe was perfect straight out of the box.

Baking soda is used with the acidity of molasses to create gas when baked, helping the cookies expand and crack the tops open. The baking powder cookies were dense and soft with the slightest hint of chewiness, so feel free to use baking powder, intentionally or not, if that’s your preference.

recipe adapted from Michel Suas’ Advanced Bread and Pastry
Holiday Cookie Swap hosted by Joelen

Gingersnap Cookie Recipe

makes 18 gingersnap cookies

Ingredients:

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
all-purpose or bread flour        2 cups          9.2          261
baking soda                       2 tsp
salt                            1/2 tsp
cloves, ground                  1/4 tsp
cinnamon, ground                1/2 tsp
ginger, ground                    1 tsp

unsalted butter                  12 tbsp          6.2          175
granulated sugar                3/4 cup + 2 tbsp  6.3          179
large egg, lightly beaten         1
molasses, unsulphured           1/4 cup           2.8           80

sugar for dredging, preferably coarse-grained (sanding or turbinado)

Notes:

• Have all of the ingredients at room temperature before continuing.

To Prepare the Gingersnap Cookie Dough:

Mix Dry Ingredients
                Place the flour, baking soda, salt, cloves, cinnamon,
                and ginger in a container with a tight lid. Cover and
                shake until thoroughly mixed.

Mix (Creaming Method)
                In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light
                and fluffy. Slowly add the egg followed by the molasses,
                mixing to incorporation with each addition.

                Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix just until
                smooth and thoroughly incorporated.

Shape           Shape the dough into a log and wrap tightly in parchment
                or plastic. Refrigerate until ready to bake.

To Bake the Gingersnap Cookies:

Preheat Oven    350ºF / 175ºC

Prepare two parchment-lined or lightly greased half-sheet pans or
cookie sheets.

Shape           Cut the dough into 18 pieces, about 1.5 ounces / 45 grams
                per piece. Roll into balls and dredge with sugar. Space
                9 balls evenly on each half-sheet pan or cookie sheet.

Gingersnap truffles.

Bake            Bake the cookies one 9-piece batch at a time, at
                350ºF / 175ºC for 20 to 22 minutes.

Cool            Transfer to a wire rack. The cookies will crisp as they
                cool.

The same recipe baked with baking powder instead of baking soda. Cookie Fail.

Gingersnap Cookies with a dash of paying attention.

Spiced Cookie Variations:

Indian garam masala and Chinese 5-spice powder worked surprisingly well. Japanese shichimi togarashi? Not so much.

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