Chewy Ginger Snaps

Author: The Ginger People
Serves several dozen

3/4 cup butter, softened	1 cup sugar, plus some for rolling
1/4 cup dark molasses	1 egg
2 cups flour	1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground ginger	1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda	1/2 tsp salt
1/2 can (3.5oz) Ginger People ginger chips

Combine softened butter, sugar, molasses and egg; beat well. Sift dry ingredients together, and add to wet mixture; mix well. Stir in ginger chips. Chill for 1 hour.

Preheat over to 375 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet, preferably an Air-Bake. Make 1-inch balls from the dough, and roll in sugar. Place on cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake 8-10 minutes -- on the low end for a conventional sheet, high end for an Air-Bake. Cool on sheet for a couple of minutes, then finish cooling on a wire rack.

Notes and Variations

As of this writing (May '05), I've made these twice and they've been a huge hit both times. I've found that I get a soft, chewy cookie on the Air-Bake; they tend to crisp more on the bottom with a conventional sheet. The original source says that this makes three dozen, but I usually get 50 or so cookies; odds are that I'm making them a shade small, I suppose. I find that it takes about three sheets for a batch.

Sources

This recipe is almost verbatim from the can for the ginger chips -- I don't normally copy commercial recipes like this, but a number of friends wanted the recipe, so I figure the Ginger People won't mind so long as I advertise their product. The ginger chips are basically crystallized ginger, sized to be appropriate for recipes like this. A bit more expensive than conventional crystallized ginger, but high quality and very convenient.