Gingersnaps

There's one food-related thing that Caroline and I quite possibly disagree on: whether gingersnaps should be soft or crunchy. If you recall from a previous post, Caroline is likes her gingersnaps a bit more on the crunchy side; I happen to prefer the soft ones. And this recipe makes an excellent soft gingersnap.

Gingersnaps should be eaten once you sense a crispness in the air. And then you should eat them until well after Christmas. And maybe even after. You should use dark brown sugar to give them a richness and nice dark color that you won't get from light brown sugar (the ones pictured have light brown sugar and I can tell). But most importantly, you should make them often. And eat them. And share them. But only if you haven't eaten them all yourself by that point. Which is a perfectly reasonable possibility.

Gingersnaps
Recipe from Betty Crocker's Cookbook
Pictures by Kelly

1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cups shortening
1/4 cup molasses
1 large egg
2 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl, beat sugar, shortening, molasses and egg in large bowl until smooth.
   
2. Stir in remaining ingredients except granulated sugar.
3. Shape dough by into 1-inch balls. Dip tops into granulated sugar. Place balls, sugared sides up, onto greased cookie sheets.
4. Bake 10 to 11 minutes or just until set. Cool on wire racks.