The Craftiest Workshop

I bought this tiny cookie book years ago probably in the discount book bin at a grocery store. One of the recipes in it, with some adjustments, has become a family favourite.

We got together with my brother’s family quite a few times when we lived in the same community. I would always volunteer to bring dessert and, though I never brought these cookies, I am reminded of a quote he would say every time:

“This doesn’t have any sugar in it, does it?”

These DEFINITELY HAVE SUGAR but, if you need a feel good cookie, this is the one to make.

Soft Ginger Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Makes about 4 1/2 dozen

• 2 cups of sugar
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 4 cups flour
• 1.5 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 1 1/2 cups margarine (softened in microwave 25 sec if straight out of fridge)
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• Sugar – 1/2 cup for rolling in

Combine the first seven ingredients: sugar, flour, salt, soda and spices. Stir together slightly.

Cut in slightly softened margarine to resemble coarse crumbs. The original recipe said shortening and it does squish better but margarine tastes better. I have never tried butter so if you do, let me know how it works for you.

Pour in the molasses and egg. Try to pour all around.

Stir until combined. Dough will still look quite dry.

Using your hands, shape the dough into 1 inch balls. You will have to squeeze the dough a bit to get it to stick together. Roll each ball in the 1/2 cup of reserved sugar in a shallow bowl.

Place sugared balls on a lined cookie sheet. The original recipe said ungreased cookie sheet so if you don’t use parchment paper there is apparently no need to grease the sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 13 minutes. I have a convection oven and do 325 degrees for 13 min. When we lived in Ontario, the cookies seemed to take 2 minutes less. Not sure if that was the altitude or just the stove so keep an eye on them. They should look slightly cracked on the top when they are done.

If you use parchment paper, leave the cookies on the sheet for at least 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack. If you don’t use parchment, the original recipe recommended removing immediately or they may stick to the pan. They are quite fragile right out of the oven so do so carefully.

With the dough being as dry as it is, I find that there is always a little bit left in my bowl at the end that I can’t quite squeeze into a cookie. This is the best part!! I put in a 1/4 cup or so of oats, dice up an apple and mix it with the crumbs. I put this in a bowl in the microwave for a minute and I get a tasty snack. I used some of my leftover crab apples with mine.

These cookies are so good that when I asked my kids to choose a particular treat for me to make at Christmas, one of them picked this recipe. I do a variety of baking, especially at Christmas, so this recipe being picked says something.

Ginger cookies in the fall seems like a perfect snack. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.