Do you have a favorite holiday cookie you must make or it wouldn’t be Christmas? For me it’s my Mom’s old-fashioned ginger cookies. Filled with warm spices and lots of ginger you can make the dough ahead, roll them into balls, freeze them, then grab and bake any time you want a batch of fresh cookies and intoxicating aroma of spices to fill the air. Or bake them first and freeze for an even quicker freezer to plate treat! Roll them in granulated sugar, powdered sugar or both. They’re extra delicious with enjoyed with a cup of English Breakfast Tea.
Mom’s Old Fashioned Ginger Cookies
Mom’s Old Fashioned Ginger CookiesINGREDIENTS
• 1 cup white granulated sugar (plus extra for rolling dough balls in)
• ¾ cup of shortening (*see tip below)
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup fancy molasses
• 2 cups white unbleached flour, sifted
• 1 heaped teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 level teaspoon ground cinnamon (*see tip below)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
Optional: ½ cup of finely chopped crystallized ginger
DIRECTIONS
• In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients
• Using a stand or hand mixer, in another bowl cream together the sugar and shortening,
• Add the egg and molasses and beat until well combined
• Add the dry ingredients and mix together at low speed until blended, but don’t over mix.
• Add crystalized ginger if using and mix another 30 seconds or until evenly distributed
• Roll the dough into 1” balls (I use a small cookie scoop to get uniform balls)
• If baking FRESH right away see notes below*
TO FREEZE 
• Place dough balls on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and freeze. Once frozen transfer dough to a container or freezer bag
TO BAKE FROM FROZEN
• Remove dough balls from the freezer and place them 2” apart on a cookie sheet. Let thaw 10 minutes while you heat the oven to 350 F degrees
• Roll balls in granulated sugar, powdered sugar or both and place them back on the cookie sheet
• Bake in a preheated 350 F oven, on the middle rack, 15 -17 minutes until lightly browned around the edges and slightly puffed
• Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before transferring cookies to rack to cool completely
TO BAKE FRESH
• Preheat oven to 350 F
• Roll dough balls in granulated sugar, powdered sugar or both and place them 2″ apart on a cookie sheet
• Bake on the middle rack for 15 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges and slightly puffed 
• Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before transferring cookies to rack to cool completely
TIPS
• Butter substitute: Use ½ cup of room temperature butter and ¼ cup of shortening = ¾ cup total
• For a spicier cookie substitute the cinnamon with 1 teaspoon of Ground Chai Spice
OR
• For extra spicy cookies add 1 teaspoon of Ground Chai Spice to 1/3 cup of granulated sugar before rolling dough balls in the sugar and baking
