The BEST Gingerbread Cookies

I am totally in love with Christmas, and Christmas cookies and desserts. Recently I found a recipe on Smitten Kitchen Blog, and tried it out. We've made them about 4 or 5 times in the last month, and they are fantastic. I haven't tried rolling them out and using cookie cutters yet. We roll them into balls and get the fluffiest, yummiest Christmas cookies ever. They make our house smell delicious too.

Gingersnaps

Yield: About 2 dozen

2 1/4 cups (281 grams) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons (10 grams) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon (2 to 3 grams) table salt
3 teaspoons (6 grams) ground ginger
1 teaspoon (2 grams) cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon (1 gram) allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 sticks (8 ounces or 227 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (96 grams) light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/3 cup (79 ml) unsulphured molasses

Optional, for even more of a ginger kick: Add 1 to 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger (with the wet ingredients) or 1 to 2 tablespoons finely minced candied ginger (with the dry ingredients).

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and spices. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars together until fluffy, about three minutes on medium. Add egg and molasses and beat until combined. Add dry ingredient and beat at low speed until just combined. Thoroughly scrape down bowl, ensuring ingredients are evenly mixed.

Transfer your cookie dough to plastic wrap — mine was quite soft and I felt like I was spreading frosting over plastic. I used a plate to support it. Chill in fridge for at least two hours, until firm.

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Roll dough into 1-inch balls and spread at least two inches apart on baking sheets that have either been greased or lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, which is a long range. In the 10 to 12 range, the cookies will be softer. In the 13 to 15 range, a bit snappier. In both cases, you’ll want to leave them on their baking sheets for long enough that they’re firm enough to be transferred to a cooling rack with a spatula, anywhere from 2 to 5 minutes. Cool cookies completely before packing up.

We bake them for about 10-12 minutes, and boy are they delicious. I like my cookies soft, and won't eat them if they are hard or have a snap to them. We grate fresh ginger each time, so we use about 2 or 2 1/2 tsp. Recently I got out the Magic Bullet to chop up the ginger, because I could not stand continuously grating it! 

You HAVE to try them! Let me know how they are if you roll them out.