My Favorite Cookie Recipe

The cookies cooling on the rack in my kitchen are the third batch of these that I have baked in a week. I know this recipe by heart now.

The original recipe calls for ¼ cup vegetable shortening and 1 egg. I usually use applesauce and two egg whites instead. I have made a few other adjustments to the recipe according to personal taste and my family’s input. This then is the result: a special, unique gingersnap recipe for the best-tasting, soft and chewy, spicy, gingery, cinnamony cookies ever!!

Special Gingersnaps

Unsweetened applesauce, about 2-3 tablespoons (or ¼ cup shortening)
1 cup white sugar
2 egg whites (or one egg)
¼ cup molasses
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
Dash salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
Cooking Spray
Brown sugar for rolling dough

Beat together applesauce and sugar, then add egg whites and beat till smooth and thoroughly mixed. Add molasses.

In a separate medium-sized bowl, measure the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, and cinnamon. Thoroughly mix and toss with your hands till mixture is completely blended.

Beat wet mixture again, as molasses usually sinks to the bottom of the bowl. Add half of the dry ingredients, mix thoroughly, then add the other half, and keep stirring until dry mixture is completely absorbed into the wet and the combined result is wet and somewhat runny. It is too wet to roll right away, so either refrigerate overnight or freeze for 30-60 minutes.

Heat oven to 350° F and use cooking spray to grease cookie sheets. Place several tablespoons brown sugar on a plate or on waxed paper for rolling the dough. Squirt some of the cooking spray into your hands and rub to grease your hands. Pick up some of the dough, roll into a ball in the palms of your hands, and roll it in brown sugar to thoroughly coat it. Place ball on cookie sheet and flatten slightly. When all your cookies are on the cookie sheet, pinch some brown sugar between your fingers and sprinkle some extra on the top of each cookie.

These cookies will spread, so place about 2 inches or more apart on the cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes. Cookies should spread, tops should crack, and the extra brown sugar on the top should brown slightly. This will result in a soft, chewy cookie. For crisper, crunchier cookies, bake longer. Remove from the oven and let cookies cool on a rack.

Depending on the size, I usually get 30-36 cookies out of this recipe.