Homemade Gingersnaps

I know, I know. When was the last time I posted a recipe?! This blog used to be all about recipes – but suddenly it’s become about eating, weekends, relaxing, being a mom and running. In all honesty, I haven’t had much time to bake lately. And when I do find time to bake, finding time to write down the recipe is waaaay last on my list.

BUT when I made these gingersnaps, I knew I had to share them. They were easy and so perfect to make now – right before the holidays – and any time of year! They’re quick to make, make enough to share (mine made about 33) and the best part – they taste great! I’d never tried to make gingersnaps before because I know I can always buy them if I want; but I highly recommend you make these. I’m so excited to bake them again and try different add-ins next time – candied ginger, dried cranberries, etc.

homemade-gingersnaps-cookies-recipe

Homemade Gingersnaps

Here’s what you need:

  • 3/4 cup shortening
  • 1 cup granulated sugar, plus 3 Tablespoons for rolling
  • 1 egg
  • 2 Tablespoons molasses
  • 2 Tablespoons honey
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • 2 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. salt

Here’s what you do:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a baking sheet. (Or use a nonstick surface, I like to use my silat and they don’t need greasing)
  2. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, cream shortening and 1 c. sugar. Add in egg, molasses and honey and continue to mix until combined.
  4. Slowly add in flour mixture to sugar mixture.
  5. Roll dough into small, Tablespoon-ish size balls. Dip balls into the 3 Tbs. granulated sugar and place onto baking sheet. Bake until light brown, 12-14 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack.
  6. Enjoy! Makes about 30-36 cookies.

homemade gingersnaps cookies

Some questions for you:

  • Are you a ginger fan? Yes! I love everything ginger. ginger tea. pickled ginger. gingersnaps. gingerbread. ginger candy. yum yum yum!
  • What’s on your holiday baking list?

Triple The Ginger Ginger Cookies

I know, I just shared with you a ginger cookie recipe – and it also had triple in it. Triple the chips. This one is a little different – it’s triple the ginger! Yum. As you know, I’m a gingerholic so this recipe is definitely for me – and if you’re a gingerholic as well, you will love it!

Triple Ginger Cookies-i crashed the web

Triple Ginger Cookies

Here’s what you need:

  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped (I put mine in the food processor)
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 3/4 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup, packed, brown sugar
  • 1 egg, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh peeled ginger
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar, set aside in a small bowl

Here’s what you do:

  1. Preheat to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Combine flour, finely chopped crystallized ginger and baking soda in a medium bowl and set aside.
  3. Using electric mixer (I love my Kitchenaid!), beat butter until creamy. Gradually add in brown sugar,  egg, molasses, fresh ginger, ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Beat until fully combined.
  4. Slowly add in flour mixture, beating on low as you combine.
  5. Roll the dough into about Tablespoon sized balls and roll in granulated sugar to coat. Place coated dough balls on baking sheet and cook for about 15 minutes.
  6. Cool and then enjoy.

I LOVE these cookies. B loved these cookies. My mom loved these cookies. I am definitely going to be making these again. They’re much more gingery than the last ginger cookie recipe I made and I think I may add in some chocolate next time too. YUM!

Questions for you:

  • Do you like ginger and/or spice cookies?
  • What’s your favorite cookie?

Triple Chocolate Chip Ginger Cookies

I think I’m a gingeraholic. Here are a few signs I’ve noticed:

  • Nearly every night I drink a cup of ginger tea with honey.
  • I love ginger candy. Especially this kind 🙂 (HINT I love surprise gifts …)
  • When we get sushi, I tend to ask for extra ginger. (unless B is there, then I just eat his)
  • Dried ginger? Candied ginger? Crystallized ginger? I have to have it.

So when I got home last week from a shopping trip and found myself with two small ginger-roots PLUS a tube of minced ginger, I wasn’t surprised. But – what to do with all that ginger?  I made some stir fry dishes, curries, etc. but I wanted to bake something. Surprised? I’m not. But when I searched for ginger recipes (including the ginger chocolate biscotti recipe B loves) I was surprised and disappointed that I couldn’t find ONE that called for fresh ginger. They either called for powdered ginger, or candied ginger (which I know I could make … but I wanted to bake right away!). SO I decided to sorta create my own recipe, using fresh ginger. I was able to combine a few other recipes and ideas (a lot of the ginger cupcakes/cookies/etc. recipes called for molasses with their candied ginger) to come up with these. And I think these came out FABULOUS.  Even B, not a ginger fan, enjoyed them! trip chip ginger cookies - i crashed the web Triple Chocolate Chip Ginger Cookies Here’s what you need:

  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter (likely one stick), room temperature
  • 1/4 cup dark molasses
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 1/4 cup flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely diced
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweetened chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweetened chocolate chunks
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips (feel free to use more regular chocolate or even dark chocolate if you’re not a white chocolate fan. I LOVE white chocolate and loved the chips with the ginger!)

Here what you do:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Cream together the sugar, butter and molasses. Add in eggs, one at a time, and beat until well mixed.
  3. In separate bowl, combine dry ingredients: flour, ground ginger, baking soda and salt.
  4. Combine creamed mixture with the dry ingredients.
  5. Stir in the diced fresh ginger, chocolate chips, chocolate chunks and white chocolate chips.
  6. Let batter sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour in your fridge. Can’t wait? Sometimes I just let it sit in the freezer so it hardens – I believe this helps prevent the batter from spreading out when cooking
  7. Drop the batter by the teaspoonful onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
  8. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes or until edges start to brown.
  9. Enjoy!
Triple Chocolate Chip Ginger Cookies

COOKIE DOUGH

Triple Chocolate Chip Ginger Cookies

Yum – enjoy the Triple Chocolate Chip Ginger Cookies!

Some questions for you:

  • Do you like ginger?
  • White chocolate or dark chocolate? white chocolate all the way!
  • Have you ever had ginger candy? What’s your favorite kind?

WIAW #16: After the Holiday Weekend

Woohoo – it’s time for another What I Ate Wednesday! These were my eats from YESTERDAY, the day after our three-day weekend. Do you find that after a somewhat gluttonous day (or three days) you start to crave healthier eats? I definitely was feeling it on Tuesday. After the weekend’s many meals out with my parents, drinks and Memorial Day celebration, I couldn’t wait to get back on track. SO here are yesterday’s eats:

I started the day with a 4.86 mile run. I haven’t started training for my next half marathon; however, I decided I think I want to do the Runners World Running Streak so I knew I had to get outside and run. Of course I forgot to have my alarm with me so I almost slept in too late. Thank goodness my internal alarm woke me up anyway!

So breakfast included egg whites, spinach, frozen veggies and an apple. AND coffee. I still don’t drink it daily, but definitely needed it on this Monday Tuesday!

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For lunch, I had leftovers. While my family was in town, we went to the Willoughby Brewing Company and I had their salmon with quinoa/carrot/cabbage/brussels sprouts salad – leftovers of that plus leftover cauliflower from our Memorial Day get together were perfect!

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Snacks the day included another apple, a LOT of carrots (I had already eaten half the bag when I took the pic), some hard candy and some beef jerky. This kind is pretty good – not a bad texture for being in a bag and it has a great kick!

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Dinner was SOOOO good. I hadn’t had time to go to the West Side Market for groceries this weekend, but I happened to have enough random groceries on hand to make a really good, filling, meatless meal (B had the same thing but had leftover ribs from the Memorial Day BBQ with his). Here it is – a loaded baked sweet potato. I love this – it was a baked sweet potato topped with mashed avocado, mashed pinto beans that I sautéed with onions and garlic, tomato, corn and cilantro from our friends’ garden.

This is what my loaded potato looks like.

This is what my loaded potato looks like.

Yum! I ended the day feeling pretty good and somewhat back on track after the long weekend.

Two questions for you:

  • Favorite way to eat a sweet potato – sweet or savory?
  • What was the best thing you ate during your holiday (or not-holiday) weekend?