Makes about 4 dozen cookies
Again, a thankful nod to Bob, my favorite brother-in-law baker. He baked these cookies a few years ago and brought them to our family Christmas gathering. I loved the flavor and texture, not to mention the extra bits of crystallized ginger mixed into the dough. On another note, this recipe uses canola oil and no butter for those of you who may be looking for a butter-free cookie. The use of oil also makes the mixing much easier – all you need is a bowl and a spoon.
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup canola oil
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup dark molasses
1 whole egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger
1 egg white, lightly beaten and set aside, for garnish
about 1/2 cup coarse sugar crystals, for garnish
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a bowl stir together with a whisk flour, ground ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl stir together the oil, brown sugar, and molasses until well blended. Add the whole egg and continue stirring until well blended. Stir in the flour mixture and the chopped ginger.
With a small cookie scoop or dampened hands, shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Brush each ball lightly with egg white and roll in the sugar to lightly coat. Place the balls of dough 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake until the tops of the cookies are set and crackled, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool for at least 5 minutes and then transfer to wire cooling racks to completely cool. The cookies firm as they cool. To store, place in an airtight container with a piece of wax paper between the layers of cookies.