Crisp Gingersnap Cookies

Chef David Marion(alton brown wannabe)'s Note:

My Grandma Marion always had gingersnap cookies ready for our visits during the fall. I recently found this recipe in Cook's Illustrated Magazine Nov-Dec '11and it made my mouth salivate. I've made this recipe many times with consistant results. I hope that you enjoy this recipe as much as I do.

• Total Time: 2 hrs 18 mins
• Prep Time: 1 hrs 30 mins
• Cook Time: 48 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 80

Yield: 80.0 cookies

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger
• 1 large egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

Directions:

1. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl.
2. Heat the butter in a 10 inch skillet over medium heat until melted. Lower heat to medium-low and cook the butter is starting to brown(about 2 - 4 minutes). Transfer melted butter to a large bowl and whisk in ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Allow to cool slightly(about 2 minutes). Whisk in brown sugar, molasses, and finely grated fresh ginger to butter mixture. Whisk in egg and extra yolk. Add in flour and stir until just combined.Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm(about 1 hour).
3. Adjust the racke to upper-middle and lower-middle position and heat to 300 degrees. Line 3 cookie sheets with parchment paper or a light non-stick spray. Place the granulated sugar in a shallow soup dish or pie pan. Take a teaspoon opf the dough, roll it into about a 1 inch ball and roll in the sugar. Then place the dough ball on the cookie sheet(about 20 cookies per sheet).
4. Place the cookie sheet on the upper-middle rack for 2 12 minutes, then rotate the cookie sheet 180 degrees and place on lower-middle rack and add the next cookie sheet on the top rack. Continue rotating the cookie sheets until the dough has been used up. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool, then eat!