....is The Ginger

Usually when I'm referring to 'The Ginger' it's my lovely redheaded college roommate & cohort, SEF. Today The Ginger is a delicious incredibly gingery ginger cookie. I made a double batch but only one cookie lasted long enough to be photographed and it was immediately eaten after I captured this image (but before I ate breakfast). 

MMcK & I made Ginger & Molasses Doodles as part of our christmas baking day and they were wonderful. When I read the "50 all-time best Sunset Test Kitchen recipes" and saw they only included two cookie recipes I had to make these. (Also on my list from this article are the Triple-Threat Chocolate Cookies & Molten Chocolate Mousse Cups)

Much like the Ginger & Molasses Doodles, The Ginger develops more flavor and chewiness the next day than it has fresh out of the oven, that little fact did not stop anyone from trying a few of the fresh baked cookies. 

1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger
1" fresh ginger, chopped
2/3 cup sugar, divided
6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup molasses
1 large egg
2 cups flour
2 tsps baking soda
1 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
turbinado sugar for rolling

In a food processor, whirl chopped crystallized and fresh ginger and 1/3 cup sugar until ginger is finely ground. Pour from container. In the bowl of a mixer, whirl butter and 1/3 cup sugar until fluffy. Add ginger mixture, molasses, and egg and mix until just combined. In a bowl, mix flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add in batches to butter mixture. Cover dough and chill until firm to the touch, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°. Shape dough into 1-in. balls and coat in turbinado sugar. Place balls 2 to 3 in. apart on nonstick or oiled baking sheets. Bake until slightly darker brown, 11 to 12 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks to cool.

Happy Baking!