Fresh Ginger Cookies

Ah, ginger cookies.  Who doesn't like those sweet, spicy cookies?  Well, my mom, actually.  Let me explain: she actually adores ginger cookies, and was the one who requested that I make this recipe to bring to Ross, Joey, and Maggie's graduation party a couple weeks ago.  But last summer, I made some of Ina Garten's ultimate ginger cookies, and the recipe called for candied ginger.  My mom absolutely hated them.  She called it "spicy," "candy," and other negative terms!  So she pushed this recipe at me and pointed out that they call for fresh ginger.  I have to admit that I like both, but these cookies were very popular all around, so I suppose they are a safer bet than the ultimate gingers!

The recipe is on an old, well-loved, ripped-from-a-magazine piece of paper.  Mom has even written notes along the margins on how to triple the recipe - which I did, but it makes almost 100 cookies that way and that's just crazy (hence I was up till around 1:30 this night baking).  I suggest just doing one recipe and making 30.  They are pretty damn good though, so be prepared for them all to go.  They were a big hit at the graduation party too!  But I'd like to recommend not trying to bake 100 cookies late at night during a heat wave in June.... it wasn't that fun.  Then again it was really the first food I had made in a while and it took me a while to get back into the swing of things.  I swear I am getting better; I pinned recipes all night tonight :)  Baby steps!

Recipe:

fresh ginger cookies

from First Magazine (not sure when!)

Directions:

2  1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

12 tablespoons room-temperature butter

1 cup sugar, plus more for rolling

1/4 cup molasses

1 egg

Instructions:

1) Combine flour, soda, and salt in a small bowl.  

2) In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat ginger, butter, and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy.

3) Beat in flour mixture until just combined.  Chill at least 1 hour.

4) Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Roll dough into 1  1/2" balls and then roll them in sugar.  Place 2" apart on ungreased baking sheet.  Bake until edges start to brown, about 15 minutes.  Centers will be slightly soft.  Let stand on cookie sheets 1 minute and remove to racks to cool completely.