Crispy Gingersnaps

One of my favorite flavors is that of ginger. I love it in savory dishes and I love it in baked goods, cakes, pies, breads, etc. I love ginger candies, especially Gin Gins. My friend Tina introduced me to them in the UK. They are great for travel or any time your tummy feels a bit off. They seem to really help it settle.
I love ginger tea. There is no better way to start off the day than slicing some fresh gingerroot into a mug and pouring boiling water over it. Leave it to steep and it is just lovely. Sometimes you can add a spoonful of honey and a squeeze of lemon. Even better. Ginger and Lemon have a natural affinity for each other.
Crispy Gingersnaps

I have a real weakness for ginger cookies. Of all the cookies in the world, I love cookies made with ginger most of all. Spicy and warm.
Soft, or chewy or crisp. It doesn't matter. If there is ginger in a cookie, I am all in! That's why when I saw this for Crispy Gingersnap recipe on Handle the Heat I just had to bake them! They seemed like the perfect mix of ginger and spice and sweet.
Crispy Gingersnaps

They are very similar to the Molasses Crinkle cookies I used to make for my children, except thinner with crispier edges. Those were rolled in sugar prior to baking and these are also rolled in sugar prior to baking.
Molasses crinkles end up thicker and fluffier and perhaps a bit harder. These end up with lovely crisp edges and middles that are a tiny bit chewy. I am in love.

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CRISPY GINGERSNAPS
Simple baking cupboard ingredients. There is nothing out of the ordinary here.

3/4 cup (170g) butter
1 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar, divided
1/4 cup (50g) lightly packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup (113g) mild molasses molasses (NOT blackstrap)
1 large free range egg
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp powdered ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 1/4 cups (286g) all-purpose plain flour

In the UK it can sometimes be difficult to source molasses. I sometimes could find it at Holland and Barratt. Molasses and dark treacle are NOT the same thing.
Dark treacle has far too strong a flavor. I found that whisking golden syrup and dark treacle together gave you a flavor quite similar to molasses. Not quite the same, but good enough!
Crispy Gingersnaps

In the UK, for this recipe I would use golden syrup in place of the molasses and then dark muscovado sugar in the place of the soft light brown sugar. Oh how I miss muscovado sugar.
Muscovado sugar is a brown sugar with a higher molasses content. It came in light and dark. It is a really lovely brown sugar for baking.
Molasses is a by product from the sugar processing industry. After they extract the sugar from sugarcane or sugar-beets, molasses is what is left. It has a sweet, rich smoky flavor.
Crispy Gingersnaps

I used regular granulated white sugar for these. In the UK I would use caster sugar as it is much finer and will melt into the butter better when creaming. The granulated sugar here in Canada is a lot finer than the granulated in the UK.
Make sure you use the freshest baking spices for this for optimum flavor! Also make sure you check your baking soda to make sure it is fresh. Just drop some in some warm water. If it bubbles, the soda is fresh.
Soda is integral to this recipe. It is what causes the cookies to become really crisp and gives them that lovely crackle-like surface!
Also make sure you use the exact amount of flour. Too much and your cookies will not have the crispness you are looking for. Too little and your cookies will spread out too much. Baking is an exact science and this is why.

HOW TO MAKE CRISPY GINGERSNAPS
These are very simple and quick to make. Prepare to fall in love. Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper.In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter, 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the molasses and egg until combined. Beat in the salt, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and flour until well combined.Place the remaining 1/2 cup (100g) sugar in a shallow dish. Scoop the dough by 1 1/2 TBS and roll into balls.Roll the balls in the sugar before placing on the baking sheet. Leave plenty of space in between for spreading.Bake for 15 minutes or until the cookies are spread and the tops look crackled.Leave to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week, or freeze for longer.

I think these would be lovely with the addition of some very finely chopped candied ginger to the dough. That would give them a beautiful additional layer of ginger flavor. I quite enjoy crystalized ginger.
If you wanted to you could drizzle these with a lemon icing sugar glaze for the holiday cookie trays. That would be especially nice with some chopped candied ginger sprinkled on top as well. Yes, I do love crystalized ginger!
Did you know that if you set your cookie over top of your cup of tea for a few minutes, the hot tea warms the cookie up just a tad and they taste even better? Now you do!

These are lovely. On the first day, fresh out of the oven, they are crisp and sweet. Overnight, the centers become lovely and a tiny bit chewy.

The sugar coating, the perfect blend of spice, these are truly a fabulous gingersnap!

Some other ginger cookies in The English Kitchen that you might enjoy are:

HONEY GINGER JUMBLES - There are no eggs in these cookies. Just honey and butter, and the perfect mix of spices and orange zest. I ice them and sprinkle them with candied ginger and they are oh so delicious. Crisp and tasty. Perfect with a hot cuppa.

LEMON GINGER BISCOTTI - If you love Biscotti, these fabulously flavoured Biscotti are destined to become one of your favorite versions!! Crisp and moreish with plenty of lemon and ginger spark. Dipped in chocolate with slivers of candied ginger on top.

Yield: 28Author: Marie Rayner