ISO: Favorite Ginger Cookie recipes

[Jewel]

I am itching to try out my new KitchenAid mixer, and want to make some cookies tomorrow while DH is at work. Parents left this morning after nine nights in my guest room (whew!) and I am going to have a whole day tomorrow!! I can get up and move around the house without hearing 'You shouldn't be up', and 'Let me do that for you'. I know it's only 'cause they love me, but sheesh!! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/rolleyes.gif I just want to get back in there and cook!!

Cookies are something I am dying to do, and I seem to remember several CL recipes for Ginger Cookies. I want something chewy and yummy, not 'gingersnappy' and crunchy. I want the house to smell good! Anyone have any preferences for Ginger Cookies? I'll take other favorite cookie recipes too, as long as they're not Chocolate Chip. I have to (sniff) cut back on the chocolate, so I need Snickerdoodle, Oatmeal...the ones I can make as lowfat as possible! Thanks! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[funnybone]

Here are some of the recipes from the "Christmas Cookie Countdown" from CL:

Cooking Light's Holiday Cookie Countdown: Day 2

Ginger Cookies

2/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, divided
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons stick margarine, softened
1/4 cup molasses
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground mace
Cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Beat 2/3 cup sugar and margarine at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended. Add molasses and egg; beat well.

3. Combine flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and mace; gradually add to sugar mixture. Stir until well-blended. Divide in half. Wrap each portion in plastic wrap; freeze for 30 minutes.

4. Shape each portion of dough into 26 (1-inch) balls; roll in 3 tablespoons sugar. Place, 2 inches apart, on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from sheets; let cool on wire racks. Store in an airtight container.

Yield: 52 cookies (serving size: 1 cookie).

CALORIES 46 (29% from fat); FAT 1.5g (sat 0.3g, mono 0.6g, poly 0.4g); PROTEIN 0.6g; CARB 7.7g; FIBER 0.1g; CHOL 4mg; IRON 0.3mg; SODIUM 49mg; CALC 13mg


Cooking Light's Holiday Cookie Countdown: Day 11
Gingerbread People Cookies

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter or stick margarine, softened
1/2 cup molasses
1 large egg white
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons dried currants
1-1/4 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

These classic cookies make great holiday ornaments: Prior to baking, make a hole in the top of each using a wooden pick; string baked, cooled cookies with yarn, and hang them on the tree or mantel.

1. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine the flour and next 7 ingredients (flour through cloves) in a bowl, and set aside. Combine granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer 5 minutes. Add molasses and egg white; beat well. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture; beat at low speed until well-blended. Divide dough in half, and shape each half into a ball, and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill 1 hour.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. Working with 1 half of dough at a time (keep remaining half chilled until ready to use), roll the dough to a 1/8-inch thickness on a heavily floured surface; cut with a 2-1/2-inch boy or girl cookie cutter. Place gingerbread cookies 1 inch apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Arrange currants on cookies as buttons. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Remove from pans; cool on wire racks.

4. Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla in a small bowl. Spoon into a decorating bag or a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag with a tiny hole snipped in 1 corner of bag, and decorate as desired. Yield: 4 dozen (serving size: 1 cookie).

CALORIES 59 (15% from fat); FAT 1g (sat 0.2g, mono 0.4g, poly 0.3g); PROTEIN 0.7g; CARB 11.9g; FIBER 0.2g; CHOL 0mg; IRON 0.5mg; SODIUM 38mg; CALC 13mg


Cooking Light's Holiday Cookie Countdown: Day 18

Gingered White-Chocolate Biscotti

2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (4-ounce) bar premium white chocolate, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 egg white
Vegetable cooking spray

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Combine the vanilla and next 2 ingredients, and add to the flour mixture, stirring until well-blended (dough will be dry). Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead lightly 7 or 8 times. Shape dough into a 16-inch-long roll. Place roll on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray, and flatten roll to 1-inch thickness.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove roll from baking sheet to a wire rack, and let cool 10 minutes. Cut roll diagonally into 24 (1/2-inch) slices, and place slices, cut sides down, on baking sheet. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees, and bake for 10 minutes. Turn the cookies over, and bake for an additional 10 minutes (the cookies will be slightly soft in center but will harden as they cool). Remove from baking sheet, and let cool completely on wire rack. Yield: 2 dozen (serving size: 1 cookie).

CALORIES 96 (20% from fat); PROTEIN 2g; FAT 2.1g (sat 1.1g, mono 0.2g, poly 0.1g); CARB 17.3g; FIBER 0.3g; CHOL 19mg; IRON 0.8mg; SODIUM 114mg; CALC 7mg


Here's the link to the rest of the cookies in the countdown. They're not for Christmas only.
http://www.cookinglight.com/special/cookiecountdown.asp

[This message has been edited by funnybone (edited 05-21-2001).]

[Grace]

The Double Ginger Cookies from May are great. They're soft and chewy, and really wonderful.

[BlueMoose]

Jewel....
My grandma always makes these cookies and I started making them recently. The key to keeping them soft and chewy is to take them out of the oven before you think they are done. It may take a little practice.

Grandma's Ginger Cookies

3/4 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
2 cups flour
1/4 t salt
1 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1 t cloves
1 t ginger

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Add molasses and egg; combine. Add dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Roll dough into balls and roll balls in sugar. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

I hope you enjoy your mixer! I recently got one, too & have only been able to use it a couple of times. It looks beautiful sitting in my kitchen, though!

[This message has been edited by BlueMoose (edited 05-21-2001).]

[Curleytop]

These are like the ginger cookies from Sunshine Biscuit Co.

* Exported from MasterCook *

GINGERSNAPS

Recipe By :Joy of Cooking
Preparation Time :0:15
Categories : Cookies Desserts
Low Fat

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3/8 Cup Butter (1/4 C + 2 TBS) -- Room Temperature
3/4 Cup Sugar
1 Egg or Eggbeater -- Well Beaten
1/4 Cup Molasses
1 Teaspoon Vinegar
2 Cups Unbleached Flour
3/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
3 Teaspoons Ginger
1/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1 Dash Cloves
1 Dash Red Hot Pepper (cayenne)

In mixer, cream together Butter and Sugar. Stir in Egg, Molasses and Vinegar. Combine dry ingredients and add to butter and sugar mixture. until well blended.
Form dough into 3/4 inch balls. Bake on a greased cookie sheet at 325 °(300° Convection) for about 12 minutes. or more. (Switch racks after 6 minutes). When sufficiently browned, remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes on the baking sheets. Then remove them to rack to cool.
As the ball melts down during baking, the cookie develops the characteristic crinkled surface.

Source:
"Joy of Cooking but I revised it to be lower in fat . I also cut the
original recipe in half !"
Yield:
"65 Cookies"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

NOTES : This was originally the recipe in JOY OF COOKING. I revised it to be less greasy and doubled the ginger and added Red Hot Cayenne Pepper for more zip.! Also reduced the amount sugar.

[KValley]

Jewel,

Do you still have your December 2000 issue? On page 136 there is a recipe for Gingerbread Little Cakes. These are the best Ginger Cookies I've ever had- rich, soft, easy to make. THe recipe may also be on the link that funnybone provided. If you can't find it, let me know and I'd be happy to write it up.

There is also a recipe for oatmeal crisps in this issue, but I haven't tried those.

Julie

[Karen M]

Does anyone have a recipe for Ginger Cakes. We had them in Colonial Williamsburg and loved them. They aren't a traditional cookie, they are really tall and soft. I'd love to bake them at home. If anyone has a recipe, I'd love a copy.

[Tina_B]

I have an amazing recipe, but unfortunately it isn't light. If you love ginger these are a must try. I don't chop the crystallized ginger to finely, as it gives the cookies a great texture.

Ginger Spice Cookies

Makes About 30

2 c. all purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 c. chopped crystallized ginger
1 c. (packed) dark brown sugar
1/2 c. margarine, room temperature
1/4 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1/4 c. molasses

Sugar

Combine first 6 ingredients in medium bowl; whisk to blend. Mix in
crystallized ginger. Using electric mixer; beat brown sugar, margarine,
and butter in large bowl until fluffy. Add egg and molasses and beat
until blended. Add flour mixture and mix until just blended. Cover and
refrigerate for one hour.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly butter two baking sheets. Spoon sugar
in thick layer onto small plate. Using wet hands, form dough into 1 1/4
inch balls; roll in sugar to coat completely. Place balls on prepared
sheets, spacing two inches apart.

Bake cookies until cracked on top but still soft to the touch, about 12
minutes. Cool on sheets one minute. Carefully transfer to racks and
cool. (Store airtight at room temperature.)

Source : Bon Appetit

[Jewel]

Oh Tina, you're such a TEASE! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif Those cookies look so good! I just cannot bring myself to make a cookie with that much butter. I would substitute butter for the margarine anyway, I won't use margarine! Does anyone out there think that I could substitute 'Lighter Bake' (fruit puree) for any of the butter in the Ginger Spice Cookies? The fruit puree seems to work better in a 'spice' recipe since it has a bit of a tang to it. Better in Oatmeal than Choc Chip is what I mean! I've used fruit puree in other cookies before with very little problem, I'm just wondering about these. Anyone have an idea? http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif