Old-Fashioned Gingersnaps

I love.
Love.
Love.
Love.
Love.
Love.
Autumn.

It's a celebration of seasons and transitions, ending a glorious summer with an appropriately bright, burning burst of color. We turn inwards, cleaning up the garden and clearing out the sprinklers as we consider what books to have on hand to carry us through winter and whether to invest in a new winter coat this year. The crisp cool air outside makes the warm hearth inside all the more welcoming, the chill felt in the hands melted away by a mug of hot tea. The smell of earth and dry leaves, everything seeming to crackle in the drier air. The sweaters and fleeces, the comforting layers and covers, including the thick hunter's-grade socks that I constantly borrow from my husband.

To ring in autumn, I love to crank up the oven and bake, so my little Ben and I made gingersnaps. Ok, I made gingersnaps, and Ben helped with quality control, eating plenty to earn his seal of approval. With both ground and fresh ginger giving them an extra kick, they won my approval as I puttered in my warm fragrant kitchen, putting together a few treat bags of cookies to share with others. Then I set the teapot on, kicked up my socked feet, and grabbed a few gingersnaps for myself, savoring the short, sweet fall season.

Old-Fashioned Gingersnaps
For me, these are about as good as a ginger cookie gets. When you bite into it, you think spicy, not sugary sweet, which is exactly what I want. And with melted butter, no mixer needed - just stir them up by hand. These are a soft cookie, but if you want them snappier, bake a couple minutes longer. Double the recipe to freeze and share. Adapted from the October 2013 issue of Better Homes and Gardens.

1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
1/4 cup unsulfured dark molasses (not blackstrap)
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 Tbls. peeled and grated fresh ginger
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup coarse sugar, such as turbinado (or just use regular sugar)

In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking soda, spices and salt - set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, molasses, sugars, freshly grated ginger and egg. Add the flour mixture and stir to combine. Cover and chill at least 1 hour.

Place turbinado sugar in a shallow bowl or plate. Scoop out a ball of dough and roll between your palms into a 1" diameter ball. Continue with remaining dough, then dip balls in sugar to coat. Place on baking sheets covered with parchment paper about 2" apart.

Bake at 350 degrees, 10-12 minutes or until edges are crisp and centers still chewy. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool. Makes about 36 cookies.