Thanksgiving Cookies: Snappy Gingersnaps

by Jacqueline Church on November 20, 2011 · 0 comments

The perfect pumpkin pie begins with a good crust, lined with a combination of crushed gingersnaps and pecans. These Snappy Gingersnaps are SUPER easy to make and can be made ahead frozen, made partially (wrap the dough in a log and freeze or refrigerate) and they go so well with cider, milk, coffee. I modified a King Arthur recipe to make them dairy free.

One thing I love about these, is how spicy and crisp they are. If you wanted to fill them with something like pumpkin cream, then substitute butter for the shortening and bake for slightly less time. That should do the trick, but I have to admit, since my dairy allergy, I’ve stopped baking with butter.

I love this idea though. Won’t someone try it and let me know?

Snappy Gingersnaps

Dairy-free and dead easy, these are delicious all year-round but are particularly welcome when there’s a cold snap in the air.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 C  soy butter substitute – for baking (I like Earth Balance)
• 1/4 C coconut shortening
• 1/4 tsp 5 spice powder
• 3 generous tsp of ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1 heaping tsp ground cinnamon
• a few grinds of white pepper, to taste
• 1 C sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 lg egg
• 1/3 C molasses
• 2 1/3 C All Purpose flour (This recipe is easy to sub in some healthier flour, try 1/3 C white wheat or sprouted spelt)

Coating sugar:

• 1/4 C sugar (turbinado is great)
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375, line two baking sheets with parchment. If you don’t have parchment paper, do get some. It makes clean up a breeze and who likes to “grease a cookie sheet” anyway? Yuck.
   
2. Bloom spices with 1/4 cup of the butter substitute in a small shallow pan.
3. Pour fragrant, spicy melted shortening into solid shortening/butter substitute in a medium to large mixing bowl.
   
4. Beat shortening with sugar, salt, baking soda.
   
5. Beat in egg, then molasses.
   
6. Add flour, beat to incorporate fully, into a stiff dough.
7. Drop teaspoon size balls of cookie dough into cinnamon-sugar mix, roll to cover.
8. Then, space onto prepared baking sheet and bake for 11-13 minutes – (13 will produce a nice snappy snap.)
9. Cool on pans, on racks then store in airtight container when fully cooled.

Thanksgiving Tips and To Do Items:

• Do your last big housecleaning, put away things you won’t need out, like that stack of magazines on the coffee table. Take out your platters and bowls and platters, clean. Label with sticky notes so you know what is going to go in what.
• Pie doughs, cookies, breads can all be pulled together and baked or frozen today.
• Make a Thanksgiving Spice Blend and mix with butter for bird.

Why not try these Golden Pumpkin Spice Rolls?

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