Ginger Snaps with a snap!

I didn't always like Ginger Snaps. I thought they were boring, no challenge, too simple. Then I started to yearn for and test out a Sauerbraten recipe. If you don't know what Sauerbraten is you are truly missing a treat. To put it simply, Sauerbraten is a pickled or sweet & sour pot roast. Don't wrinkle your nose at that description until you've had the pleasure of trying it. This is truly a yummy dish. Anyway, I'm not trying to convince you to try Sauerbraten today so lets continue. The gravy for this dish contains ground ginger snaps which lead me on a quest for the perfect ginger snap. I was looking for a punch of flavor, a little heat and a snap. This is what I found and tweeked to my version of perfection.

Ingredients:

9oz flour

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp allspice

1/4 tsp salt

1 stick butter; melted, cooled

1/4 cup molasses

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 tbs grated fresh ginger

1 egg

1/3 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger

1/2 cup sugar for rolling

Directions:

In a medium bowl combine all dry ingredients; set aside. Combine warm butter, molasses, sugars, fresh ginger in mixer bowl. Mix on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add the dry ingredients and chopped ginger; blend just until incorporated. The dough will be soft and should be refrigerated for at least 1 hour. Form dough into 1" balls, roll into the sugar. Bake on a parchment lined baking pan 12-15 minutes in a 350 degree oven. If you like them crisp leave the dough in the refrigerator over night and bake 14-18 minutes. Cool completely on a rack.

Hope you enjoy these as much as we do!