Triple-Ginger Cookies

These cookies are soft, puffy, and perfectly spiced. I’m ashamed to say that when Ron baked these, I ate 10 of the first batch. Which is why my hips are larger than Texas, but let’s not go there, Dollinks ...

Triple-Ginger Cookies:

3/4 c. (180 mL) butter or margarine, softened

1 c. (250 mL) demerara (i.e., dark brown) sugar, packed

1 egg

1/4 c. (60 mL) molasses
2-1/4 c. (560 mL) flour  
1-1/2 tbsp.(22 mL) freshly grated ginger

1 tsp. ground ginger 
1-1/2 tsp. (7.5 mL) cinnamon
1/2 tsp. (10 mL) nutmeg
2 tsp. (10 mL) baking soda

1/2 tsp. (2.5 mL) salt

1 c. (250 mL) crystallized ginger, chopped (see Note)

1/4 c. (60 mL) granulated sugar, or as needed 

Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. Spray-grease large cookie sheet or cover with parchment paper. Set aside. Combine butter and demerara sugar in large bowl, beating with electric mixer until fluffy. Add egg and molasses, continuing to beat until well blended.

To medium bowl, add flour, spices, baking soda, and salt, combining thoroughly. Stir in crystallized ginger. Gradually add flour-mixture to butter-sugar mixture, mixing just until blended. Cover and refrigerate 1 hr. To small bowl, add granulated sugar, setting aside until needed. 

Working assembly-style, roll dough into 1-1/4 in. (3 cm) balls - no need to set on cookie sheets yet. Gently roll in granulated sugar, coating entire surface of ball. Set balls 2 in. (5 cm) apart on prepared cookie sheet.

Bake 12-to-13 min., or until tops of cookies are puffed and start to crack. Do not over-bake. Cool on cookie sheet 1 or 2 min. before transferring to wire racks to cool thoroughly. These cookies freeze well. Makes 2-1/2 dozen.

Note: If you don’t have crystallized ginger, add a little extra sugar to this recipe.