Fill the house with the great scents of homemade baking this season!

These old-fashioned ginger snaps can be made large or small, depending on how you want to eat them.  I rather enjoy them with a cup of tea or hot cocoa, dunking them before every bite.  On occasion I have used them as an addition to a cheese tray, as the ginger cookies pair quite well with sharp old cheddar and a glass of red wine.

You may use a hand blender in preparing this recipe, though you will need to finish it off by hand. I prefer to use the traditional wooden spoon and choose to knead the dough to get all ingredients blended well. This recipe does give a rather good workout for the arms and hands. You will know you have accomplished something at the end of baking day when you make these wonderfully tasty cookies.

DUNKING GINGER SNAP COOKIES

• 3/4 cup butter softened or shortening
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup dark molasses
• 1 cup sugar, (I used brown sugar)
• 2 1/2 to 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour, (I used white spelt flour)
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

Place the butter into a mixing bowl and beat until creamy. Gradually beat in the sugar. Beat in the egg, and dark molasses.

Sift the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, and salt into another mixing bowl. Stir the mixture to blend evenly.

Sift 1/3 of the flour mixture into the wet ingredients mixing bowl; stir to thoroughly blend. Sift in the remaining flour mixture, and mix together until a soft dough forms. You may need to knead it with your hands to get all the flour blended in. Pinch off small amounts of dough and roll into 1 inch diameter balls between your hands. Place 2 inches apart on an un-greased baking sheet.  Flatten balls with the bottom of a juice glass which has been dipped in sugar.

Bake in preheated oven until the tops are rounded and slightly cracked, about 12 minutes. Cool cookies on a wire rack. Store in an air tight container.

Enjoy one of the most simple yet tasty cookies you will ever make!  L. L