Dorie’s Princeton Gingersnap Cookies

If these cookies were in a game of Truth or Dare they would invariably choose DARE. Every time. No hesitation. These cookies are bold enough, unflappable really… ready to go streaking through the quad.  Life of the party. You know.  These cookies are super casual like that. 

Did you ever play Truth or Dare? Good grief what a nightmare game for an introverted, 22 year old college freshmen girl who lived off campus and was just trying to make some new friends.  Me.  Just me? I choose neither truth nor dare and excuse me, I have to go to work now, because I have a real life job being rude to people at the Cheesecake Factory.  I’m having none of this. 

Cookies though!  We all need unflappable cookies.  These be them! 

These ginger gems come from this year’s new cookbook by Dorie Greenspan, baker hero to us all.  

Dorie’s Cookies is extensive and colorful and solid as a rock.  So much cookie inspiration! 

Here’s where we start:  loads of ground ginger, clove, and cinnamon spice, molasses and butter, an egg, sugar, and flour.  The usual suspects, with a lot of spice. 

We’re using two kinds of ginger as Dorie dictates.  

Fresh ginger that’s peeled and minced, combined with finely chopped candied ginger.  These will add a kick of mega ginger spice.  

I’ve never made cookie dough in a food processor before, but I tend to follow the directions when Dorie dictates. 

So! Into the bowl of a food processor with softened butter and granulated sugar. 

(You could certainly also bring this dough together with a stand mixer, set of electric hand beaters, or a bowl and wooden spoon.  The resulting dough will have larger chunks of fresh and candied ginger so keep that in mind when chopping them.)

Molasses is added to the butter and sugar and the mixture is pulsed to combine and fluff.  

In with the two types of ginger and the egg.  

Vanilla and salt and pulse to combine well.  

The mixture will become more pale as you pulse it in the food processor, that’s right!

Spices are mixed into the dry ingredients. 

The dry ingredients are added to the food processor and the dough will begin to take shape as it’s pulsed.

I stop the mixture, remove the blade and finish incorporating with a spatula. 

Wrapped in plastic or waxed paper and set to rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Overnight: also fine.  Freezer: for weeks if that’s you thing (but thaw before baking).

The chilled dough is scooped into heaping tablespoon balls, rolled in coarse sugar, and baked atop parchment.

Two cookie baker tool, must haves:  this cookie scoop and plenty of parchment paper. 

Baked to flat and crackled.

Here’s what’s great! These cookies are everything you want them to be: crisp on the edges, soft through the center, crunchy with sugar, spiced for the holiday and just slightly spicy from ginger. They’re exactly right.  But Dorie knew. She knows. She also probably doesn’t mess around with Truth or Dare, so…. 

Dorie’s Princeton Gingersnap Cookies

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• Author: Dorie Greenspan
• Prep Time: 140
• Cook Time: 12
• Total Time: 2 hours 32 minutes
• Yield: 3 1x

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Ingredients

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• 2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped moist, pliable crystallized ginger
• 1 teaspoon plus 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 scant teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons , 6 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into chunks, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup unsulfered molasses
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• turbinado (or granulated) sugar for dredging

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Instructions

1. Place the fresh ginger and crystallized ginger in a small bowl. Top with 1 teaspoon of sugar. Stir and set aside for about 10 minutes.
2. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon cloves, ground ginger, and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment add butter, remaining 1 cup of sugar, and molasses. Add the sugared ginger and pulse to incorporate.
4. With the machine running, add the egg and vanilla and continue to process until blended. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure that everything is evenly mixed.
5. Add the dry ingredients and pulse until the flour is almost entirely blended in. Remove the food processor from the machine and use a spatula to fully incorporate.
6. Scrape the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and wrap into a disk. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
7. To bake, place two rack in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and place dredging sugar in a shallow bowl. Spoon dough into heaping tablespoon balls and toss in sugar to coat. Place on baking sheet 2 inches apart.
8. Bake for 12 minutes until fragrant and crisp around the edges. Remove from the oven, allow to cool on the rack for 20 minutes before placing on a wire rack.
9. To store the cookies, place in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 6 days.

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