Soft and Chewy Ginger Cookies

Canada Day turned out to be a rainy morning here last week, so we quickly abandoned our plans to head to the park and celebrate in the morning.  Instead, we got together with our neighbors for some much needed coffee and play time!  The girl that lives next door is just the sweetest thing, and she touched my heart when I heard the story of what she said to her grandma a few months ago.  I won't repeat the whole thing, but the basic idea is that grandma found out that her cookies " just aren't as good as Shannon's."  Say WHAT?  Move over grandma.  There's a new baker in town.

Anyway, hearing this story has put tremendous pressure on me to continue to bake new and exciting things for her.  Yup.  I feel the need to be loved and respected as a baker by this 4 year old.  After all, kids are so damn truthful.  Or shall I say blunt.  I've disappointed wee neighbour girl since this epic compliment, and well, it didn't feel so hot.  I joke, I joke.  Sort of.....  

I haven't made ginger cookies in ages (since Christmas when she devoured my red and green sprinkle coated ones), so I thought it was time.  Since becoming a new Volunteer Field Editor for Taste of Home Magazine, I am trying to make even more of their delicious recipes than I used to back when I was just a wannabe Field Editor.  So out came this recipe.  Big Soft Ginger Cookies.  They didn't disappoint.   Here's the recipe, reproduced from the website.

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Additional sugar

Directions

• 1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and molasses. Combine the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well.
• 2. Roll into 1-1/2-in. balls, then roll in sugar. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until puffy and lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Yield: 2-1/2 dozen.

Nutritional Facts

1 cookie equals 111 calories, 5 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 19 mg cholesterol, 98 mg sodium, 16 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 1 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 fat.

© 2015 RDA Enthusiast Brands, LLC

   

Here's my photo

Note that I flattened these with a fork, just before baking.  The recipe doesn't state to do so, but I like a flatter, chewier cookie.  They bake up a little higher and likely more true to the "big soft" cookie description per the original recipe if you don't flatten.

The 4 year old's review:  A little too salty.  Yeah, all that salt?? on the outside.  She didn't care for the sugardust her cookie was leaving behind on her fingers.   Fair enough.  

Silly girl.  That's my favorite part.