Day 12: Molasses Ginger Crisps

Connie at our Bridgetown branch baked for the last day of our 2013 “12 days of Cookies”.  Connie says,  “This recipe for Molasses-Ginger Crisps comes from The Christmas Cookie Club by Ann Pearlman.  This is not technically a cookbook, it's a gentle, thoughtful novel centered around a group of women who gather together once a year at Christmas and share cookies.  Each chapter begins with a particular cookie recipe.  The recipe I chose to make features ginger -- one of my favourite flavours!  And I was particularly attracted to this recipe because it uses three different forms of ginger: fresh, powdered and crystallized.”  Connie’s cookies can be found at the Middleton branch today.

Here's the recipe:                                 
Molasses-Ginger Crisps

1 cup softened butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh ginger, finely chopped
2 tbsp chopped crystallized ginger
2 cups + 2 tbsp flour
1 1/2 tsp powdered ginger
1 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup molasses

Beat butter and sugar together 2 minutes.  Add egg and yolk, salt, fresh ginger and crystallized ginger.

Use whisk to blend flour, powdered ginger, and baking powder, and add to mixture.  Add molasses.

Form into logs about 2 inches in diameter and chill a couple of hours (or freeze for a few days).  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut the rolls into 1/8 inch slices.

Bake for 12 minutes.  Makes about 6 1/2 dozen cookies.