GINGERSNAPS

YIELD: 40 - 45 cookies.


INGREDIENTS

12 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup mild molasses
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda


DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl, mix the ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and pepper. In another small bowl, add the brown sugar and molasses. In a different small bowl, add the egg and the egg yolk. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

2. In a small saucepan, brown butter until fragrant. Pour into a large bowl. Add the spices and mix well with a wooden spoon. Allow to cool to room temperature; this can be sped up in an ice bath.

3. Once browned butter is cooled, add brown sugar and molasses and mix. Add egg and egg yolk and beat well. Add flour, salt, and baking soda and stir until fully incorporated and stiff. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

4. Arrange oven racks in the top and middle positions. Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees. Line two baking trays with parchment. Sprinkle a 1/4 cup of granulated sugar on a plate.

5. With 1 teaspoon measure, scoop out chilled dough, roll into a ball, roll in sugar, and place on baking tray. Space the cookies 1-inch apart, about fifteen cookies per tray. Bake for 15 minutes on the top rack, then rotate and move baking sheet to the middle rack. At the same time, put the second baking sheet on the top rack. For the first baking sheet, continue to bake for 10 more minutes; for the second baking sheet, bake for 15 minutes, and then rotate and move to the bottom rack to bake for 10 minutes more. Repeat with remaining dough. Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes before removing baked cookies to cooling rack. Serve.

ALTERNATE VERSION: Divide cookie dough onto two sheets of wax or parchment paper and roll into a log. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Slice into 1/8-inch rounds and bake on a parchment lined baking sheet at 350 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes. Allow to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing baked cookies to cooling rack. Serve.