Shown on the cover of the November 1998 issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine, these cookies prompted scores of calls from readers saying they were the best ginger cookies ever.
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 cups shortening
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
3/4 cup course sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl stir together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl beat shortening for 30 seconds. Add the 2 cups granulated sugar; beat until combined. Beat in eggs and molasses until combined. Beat in half of the flour mixture. Stir in remaining flour mixture. Using a 1/4-cup ice cream scoop, shape dough into 2-inch balls; roll in the coarse sugar. Place balls 2 1/2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until cookies are light brown and puffed. Do not overbake or cookies will not be chewy. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer to wire rack; cool. Makes 25 4-inch cookies.
Hillary's alterations:
1. Double the amount of ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. I like spicier cookies.
2. Make smaller cookies rather than big ones. They don't flatten well on their own, so you get small poofed up balls. If you do want flatter cookies, pre-flatten.
3. This recipe makes A LOT of cookies. Halving it still gives you a good number of cookies, especially if you make them smaller.
