Ginge Cookies For Fall Chill

I made these for my Dad, to say thank you for taking me and my sister to Seattle over the weekend and spending all his money on us! They turned out crisp and buttery with fresh-grated ginger, and I added chopped up candied ginger for kicks too. I really thought these were going to be way more "hot" gingery but they actually turned out milder than I was hoping! Like my Grandma, I like extremely gingery flavour. Yum.

I always forget how much this recipe spreads on a cookie sheet too so while I thought I was making these cute little circular mini snaps they spread in diameter to resemble less of a snap but more of a big old gingery brown flat cookie. I "festooned" each cookie with a slice of candied ginger for decoration. This recipe was modified from the Martha Stewart baking handbook, that crazy nut Martha.

Ding dong, Fall is here. Spicy cookie alert.

Ginger Snaps with Candied Ginger

Makes a few dozen, depending on size you make em!
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cinammon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 +1/2 tablespoons finely grated peeled ginger (or more! I used my hand-held zester thing)
1 large egg
1/3 cup (or more) chopped up candied ginger

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, pepper and salt. Set aside.
2. Beat butter, brown sugar, molasses and ginger on medium-high until fluffed out.
3. Beat in the egg until smooth and combined, about 1 minute.
4. Add flour mixture, and beat on low speed until just combined.
5. Mix in candied ginger (really fast-- don't overmix dough!)
5. Spoon out onto parchment-papered baking sheets, about 1 inch balls.
6. Flatten with bottom side of spoon dipped in water, add candied ginger to adorn.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, rotating pans halfway through and checking cookies to ensure they don't burn. Remove from oven, then let cool for a few minutes then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Crunch and munch away on your homemade spicy gingersnaps!