Jingle Jangle Ginger

We had afternoon guests this week. They were just here for a couple of hours mid-afternoon. There was no need for a meal. But being born and raised in the South, it was unthinkable for me not to have something to offer when they got here. Southern hospitality and all that. So cookies and coffee it was. And that was perfect. And enough.

These ginger cookies have been favorites in our family for years. It isn't a true Christmas recipe, but to me it feels like a winter recipe. Although I would be delighted to eat them on the Fourth of July!

These cookies are made with shortening. That means they are sturdy cookies that can be packed and shipped if you need to send them. I mailed them to Italy when Jessica was doing her study abroad. Can you imagine how much they had bounced around during that international trip? And they were all in one piece when she received them. (I did put a layer of crumpled wax paper in the bottom of the container and of the top of the cookies to cushion them.)

Here are my ginger cookie tips:

• You can mix the dry ingredients together a day or two before you make the dough. Then it doesn't feel like such a big undertaking to make these. Pulling out all the spices and measuring them takes several minutes.

• You don't need to refrigerate the dough before you bake them, but I have found that the dough is a little easier to scoop up after it sits for a few minutes. Just go wash the mixer bowl and spatula while it rests.

• Use the pre-cut parchment sheets to line pans for easy clean-up. One sheet per pan will get you through the entire recipe. You don't need a new sheet of paper every time you put a pan in the oven.

• Using a 1-inch cookie scoop makes beautiful cookies that are of uniform size. Sometimes I will use my finger to "pack" the dough into the scoop to make sure it's full. The scoop really speeds things up.

The recipe makes 120 cookies. That's 10 dozen! Plenty of cookies to enjoy. Plenty of cookies to share. Perfect with a cup of coffee or a glass of milk.

I am convinced (no actual proof) that these cookies keep better and longer when stored in a metal tin. Years ago seems like we just had tins around, left from bought treats. Now I have to seek them out and this is the time of year to buy them. Dollar stores have them right now on the Christmas aisle.  I did see some at the store that were metal with a plastic "window" in the lid. I'm sticking to my all-metal theory and I skipped those.

One day I'd like to find some that are not seasonal. But at the moment, these will have to do. I gave some away last week—BEFORE Thanksgiving—and no one seemed to mind that the tin said Merry Christmas.

GINGER COOKIES

4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups shortening
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses (I used Grandma's Molasses Original)
3/4 cups sugar (for rolling)

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat shortening with an electric mixer on LOW speed for 30 seconds. Add the 2 cups sugar. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.

Beat in eggs and molasses until combined. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can with the mixer. (My KitchenAid handled all the flour.) Stir in any remaining flour mixture by hand.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls and roll in the 3/4 cp sugar. (A 1-inch cookie scoop makes this easy.) Place 1-1/2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. (In my pans that is 5 rows of cookies, 4 to a row.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 9 minutes, or until bottoms are lightly browned and tops are puffed. DO NOT OVERBAKE. (Try the first pan at 8 minutes and then decide if 9 minutes is better.)

Cook on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer to wire rack and let cool. (I just put them on paper towels on the counter to cool.) 

Makes about 120 cookies