Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

Excellent coffee side dish, or holiday finger food, as well as a nice holiday dessert---Delicious.

• Ready In: 4 hrs 44 mins
• Serves: 24
• Yields: 24 cookies

Ingredients

• 7  ounces  best-quality  semisweet chocolate
• 1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1  tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 1⁄4 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1  tablespoon cocoa powder
• 8  tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1  tablespoon  freshly grated ginger
• 1⁄2 cup  packed dark brown sugar
• 1⁄4 cup unsulphured molasses
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons boiling water
• 1⁄4 cup granulated sugar

Directions

1. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
2. Chop chocolate into 1/4 inch chunks; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cocoa In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and grated ginger until whitened, about 4 minutes.
4. Add the brown sugar, and beat until combined.
5. Add molasses, and beat until combined In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in boiling water.
6. Beat half of the flour mixture into the butter mixture.
7. Beat in the baking soda mixture, then the remaining half of the flour mixture.
8. Mix the chocolate, and turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap.
9. Pat the dough out to about 1-inch thick; seal with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, 2 hours more Heat the oven to 325°.
10. Roll the dough into 1 1/2-inch balls, and place 2-inches apart, on baking sheet.
11. Refrigerate 20 minutes.
12. Roll the balls in granulated sugar.
13. Bake until the surfaces crack slightly, 13-15 minutes; let cool 5 minutes; transfer to wire rack to finish cooling.