Surprise #2: A's Ginger Cookies Recipe

[Alternate Text: A header image of a stack of gingersnap cookies on a small, wire cooking rack; the cookies are a rich brown color with cracking across them that hint at their pull-apart texture. The title is 'A's Ginger Cookies' in a simple white font.]

"…You murdered it, Jay, instead of beating it."

J has the decency to lay a dishtowel over the shortening and sugar mixture that has gone beyond fluffy to a mini-snowstorm in a bowl, peaks and valleys almost aerated at this point. Their chagrin is obvious enough that A smiles cheerily at them to offer some reassurance, nudging their sibling's side. They're only kidding.

"How long did you beat it?"

"I lost track of time," J admits. "Maybe five minutes?"

A says nothing more, though they glance up from the bowl to where you sit with R, S, and B. Of course, you happen to be directly across from the kitchen counter where J is 'helping' bake. Even now, their eyes linger on you before returning to A. It's a good sort of distraction. "Leave this to me, okay? We'll say you helped with the measuring part—it's mostly true!" They add that to counter any protests. "Go sit with [Name]."

Below you will find the recipe for A's Ginger Cookies; it yields a small batch of chewy gingersnaps that are perfect for the holiday season. These cookies will add a touch of warmth to your day thanks to the spices in them. A 'chewy' gingersnap might sound counterintuitive, but the texture is part of the fun.

(While my other recipes come from aged note cards in my mom's recipe box, this one comes from this website: here. So, credit to this baker! I've baked this a few times in the past to 'verify' it for you all. 😉)

Please enjoy and happy holidays!

(Some of the measures are interesting because this is a small batch of only 12 cookies; however, you can double the amounts.)

Ingredients

• ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons shortening or unsalted butter
• ½ cup sugar (plus extra for rolling)
• 1 large egg white
• 2 tablespoons molasses (don't use blackstrap molasses for this one!)
• 1 cup flour
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C), and ensure a rack is in the center position of the oven.
2. Have ready a shallow bowl filled with extra granulated sugar for rolling the cookies in.
3. In a medium bowl with a hand-mixer, beat together the shortening (or butter) and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the egg white and molasses and mix well.
5. Add all of the remaining ingredients on top and beat until just combined.
6. Scoop tablespoon-size chunks of dough and roll into 1-inch balls. You should get 12-13 cookies. Roll each cookie in sugar. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 11-12 minutes, until the edges of the cookie look firm. (You don't need to flatten them into discs; they naturally go from ball to cookie-shape while baking.)
7. Let cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will be very soft, but they will firm up as they cool.

Fun Extras

• If you enjoy eggnog, this cookie could probably stand up to its rich flavor, but there's also always milk, tea, or some other drink of choice.
• A. Corvin tends to bake up a storm during the holidays. 🦌 Depending on your MC's dynamic with them, I could see them trying to figure out what your MC likes/prefers and baking something special.
• These cookies freeze exceptionally well! Simply freeze the dough balls in a freezer bag then you can take one or two out, roll them in sugar once thawed some, and bake them for a treat.