Triple X Ginger Cookies

Chewy, moist, amazing ginger cookies! Why the "Triple X" name, well, some might say it's because once you have one you'll immediately come... back to the kitchen for another cookie. Other people might suggest it's because I use 3 kinds of ginger (powder, candied, fresh) in the cookie... judge for yourself!

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Serves: 18
• Yields: 18 big cookies

Ingredients

• 3⁄4 cup butter
• 1⁄2 cup dark brown sugar (packed)
• 1⁄2 cup light brown sugar (packed)
• 1  egg
• 1⁄4 cup molasses
• 2 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2  teaspoons ground ginger
• 2  teaspoons baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons fresh ginger (minced)
• 1⁄2 cup crystallized ginger (a.k.a. crystallized ginger, finely chopped)

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugars until smooth. Beat in the egg and molasses.
2. In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour, ground ginger, baking soda, and salt.
3. Stir the flour mixture into the molasses mixture using a wooden spoon (or your mixer).
4. Mix in the fresh and crystallized gingers.
5. Cover, and refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Once chilled, you can easily form the dough into a "kielbasa thick" sausage kind of form -- then you can easily cut even-sized cookies (one inch wide will make nice big cookies).
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
7. Shape dough into 1 inch balls, and place about 2 inches apart onto a non-greased cookie sheet.
8. Bake for 8-10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly browned. Cool on wire racks.
9. Feel free immediately as you take them from the oven to sprinkle spiced sugar over the cookies. To make spiced sugar mix 1/4 cup sugar with 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp cloves, 1/4 tsp dried orange peel. This spiced sugar is also great on oatmeal!