Ginger Crackles

By Addie

Cover recipe from The Weekend Baker, Copyright 2005 by Abigail Johnson Dodge

There have been two covers featured for her book, and I have the copy that shares Ginger Crackles as the cover image. Abby describes these as a chewy gingersnap with a soft, moist texture. They’re “crackles” because the tops are ridged with beautiful cracks. See my notes below to see how this recipe turned out.

Did this recipe deserve the cover spotlight? Yes. I would imagine that the “weekend baker” type of person is one that probably bakes up a lot of cookies. Cookies were a good choice for the cover, and they happened to be delicious ones too.

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp. table salt
• 8 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 1 cup granulated sugar, plus 2/3 cup for rolling
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup light molasses

Preparation

Step 1

1. Position an oven rack on the middle rung. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment or nonstick baking liners (like Silpat).

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Whisk until well-blended. In another large bowl, combine butter, shortening, and 1 cup sugar. Beat with an electric mixer (stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or handheld mixer) on medium-high speed until well combined. Add the egg and molasses and beat until well-blended. Pour in the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until well blended.

3. Pour the remaining 2/3 cup sugar into a shallow bowl. Using a small ice-cream scoop about 1 1/2 inches (4cm) in diameter or your palms, shape the dough into 1-inch (2.5cm) balls. Roll each ball in the sugar and set 2 inches (5cm) apart on the prepared cookie sheets.

4. Bake 1 sheet at a time (make sure to use a cooled sheet for the second batch) until puffed and lightly browned around the edges, about 13 minutes. Transfer the cookie sheet to a rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Using a spatula, lift the cookies from the sheet onto a rack and let cool completely.

Yield: 3 dozen cookies

DO AHEADS:
*The dough can be made, shaped, and the balls coated with sugar through step 3 and then frozen for up to 2 months before baking. For best results, position the shaped dough snugly on a small cookie sheet and freeze until very firm. Then pile the frozen balls into a heavy-duty freezer bag and store in the freezer. When you’re ready to bake, remove only the number of cookie you need, place them on the prepared cookie sheet, and leave them on the counter while the oven heats up. Bake as directed in step 4.

*The cookies can be prepared through step 4. Layer them between sheets of parchment or waxed paper in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.