National Cookie Day

What a great holiday this is!!!!  I'd have to say that my favorite recipe for cookies lately is this one that I got from Suzy Plantamura years ago during one of her classes:

Holiday Gingersnap Cookies

1 cup packed brown sugar (I use dark brown sugar)
¾ cup shortening (I use the solid Crisco)
¼ cup molasses
1 egg
2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon salt
Granulated Sugar
White dipping chocolate (optional)

Mix brown sugar, shortening, molasses and egg in large bowl.  Stir in flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt.  Cover and refrigerate at least one hour.

Heat oven to 375.  Grease cookie sheet lightly (or use Silpat and don’t grease).  Shape dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into balls (I use the cookie scoop thing-a-ma-gig – you know what I mean); dip tops into granulated sugar.  Place balls, sugared side up, about 3 inches apart on cookie sheet.  Bake 10 to 12 minutes or just until set (cookies should be fairly light to assure they are chewy and not hard).  Remove from cookie sheets and let cool on wire rack.

Optional (for holidays):  Melt white chocolate in microwave (approximately 1 -2 minutes, stirring half way through).  Dip ½ of cooled cookies into white chocolate, let extra drip off.  Then place cookies on wax paper to cool for at least 1 hour. 

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.  They last well in the freezer.