Ina Garten's Ultimate Ginger Cookie

Ina Garten, Please adopt me.

This weekend was pretty typical. I planned our meals, organized my grocery list, worked out (post about that tomorrow), and went to Target.

I made my own version of some really yummy Carne Asada Beef Stew, went to a karaoke birthday party at the ultimate dive bar, baked up some ginger cookies for the Mars Hill Christmas Celebration (you should come!!) took a nap, and even listened to some Christmas music like I promised. 

It. Was. Fantastic.

I'm not really a pat-myself-on-the-back kinda girl, but I do have to say, I impressed myself with these. Maybe because they have real ginger in them. Or maybe because they lived up to hype of the slight crunch on the outside and soft chewy inside that can be so challenging to accomplish.

Drooling yet? If you're coming to the Mars Hill Christmas Party, you caaaan haaaave one.

BUT, if you live in another state other than Washington, I suppose that might be a challenge, so you might have to settle for making your own.

I confess, I followed Ina's Recipe almost to a T.

I accidentally forgot to put cloves in my recipe so the first 12 cookies went in the oven clove-less. To remedy, I sprinkled the rest of the dough with a few good shakes of ground cloves and finished up the last 18 cookies exactly as the recipe states.  I even had Mark warm the egg to room temperature by holding it in his hands for 15 minutes. Yep. I'm hard-core.

Oh that, and I used 4 oz candied ginger, based on what other bakers said in the reviews.  I recommend this change, or maybe even 3 oz. They are very ginger-y.

ULTIMATE GINGER COOKIE

by Ina Garten and the food network

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves (don't forget them!)
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup unsulfered molasses
1 extra large egg, room temp. If you don't have an extra large egg, maybe add a Tbsp more oil.
granulated sugar~ about 1/4 cup for rolling

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and salt and then combine the mixture with your hands. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the brown sugar, oil, and molasses on medium speed for 5 minutes. Turn the mixer to low speed, add the egg, and beat for 1 minute. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat for 1 more minute. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the crystallized ginger and mix until combined.

Scoop the dough with 2 spoons or a small ice cream scoop. With your hands, roll each cookie into a 1 3/4-inch ball and then flatten them lightly with your fingers. Press both sides of each cookie in granulated sugar and place them on the sheet pans. Bake for exactly 13 minutes. The cookies will be crackled on the top and soft inside. Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Store in sealed container at room temp for up to a week.

Ho! Ho! Ho!

XOXO!

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