Triple Ginger Cookies

I was in the mood to do some holiday baking and began with these cookies. The recipe appeared in the December issue of Bon Appetit and got great reviews on Epicurious.com. I had all the ingredients needed at home, including a bottle of molasses that had been in the cupboard for a few years. When all the cookie dough balls were laid out on two baking sheets, I discovered that my oven was on the fritz. What to do? My niece Julie was with me and we walked the two cookie sheets over to her house, one block away. Once in a working oven, the cookie dough balls, did what they were supposed to do and turned into cookies. They tasted better the next day, as the flavors had a chance to develop. Also consider adding more fresh and crystallized ginger if you enjoy a very gingery flavor.

For the time being, further baking plans are on hold pending an oven repair (or replacement). How could this happen right before Christmas?

2 1/2 cups flour

1/3 cup minced crystallized ginger

2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup packed golden brown sugar

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 large egg, room temperature

1/4 cup light (mild flavored) molasses

1 1/2 tsp. finely grated fresh peeled ginger

1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/3 cup (about) sugar

Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven: preheat to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, crystallized ginger, baking soda, and 1/4 tsp. salt together. In a large bowl, using electric mixer, beat butter until creamy and light, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in both sugars. Beat on medium-high speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add egg, molasses, fresh ginger, ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Beat to blend. Add flour mixture in 2 additions, beating on low speed just to blend between additions.

Place 1/3 cup sugar in small bowl. Measure 1 tbl. dough. Roll into ball between palms of hands, then roll in sugar in bowl to coat; place on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining cookie dough, spacing cookies 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart.

Bake cookies until surfaces crack and cookies are firm around edges but still slightly soft in center, about 15 minutes. Cool completely on sheets on rack.

Makes about 40 cookies

Notes: I beat all ingredients by hand and used only light brown sugar, not a combination of light and dark brown. I used Grandma's molasses which isn't labeled light or dark. For a stronger ginger flavor increase the crystallized ginger to 1/2 cup and fresh ginger to 2 tsp.