Double Ginger Chocolate Chip Cookies

You will see ginger come up a lot in my recipes. I think it is exotic and very interesting. It also goes with a lot of flavors. My standard ginger cookie is Taku Ginger Cookies. They taste great and the texture is to die for. This recipe also tastes great and has the wonderful dark chocolate chips to go along with the ginger. They don’t have that same killer texture  the Takus do but they are very good. Go for it!

Recipe By:

diningaround.com

 Yield:

27 cookies

 Ingredients:

2 cups flour

2½ teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

½ cup dark brown sugar

¾ cup granulated sugar, divided*

½ cup butter

¼ cup shortening

1 large egg

¼ cup molasses

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup crystallized ginger, chopped

1 cup dark chocolate chunks (a bittersweet chocolate bar cut into chunks)**

Directions:

1. Combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl and whisk to blend. Mix in crystallized ginger. Set aside.

2. Using electric mixer, cream butter, shortening and brown sugar and ¼ cup granulated sugar until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

3. Beat in egg, molasses and vanilla.

4. Add flour mixture and mix just until blended.

5. Stir in chocolate.

6. Cover and refrigerate about 45-60 minutes.***

7. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

8. Spoon the remaining ½ cup sugar into a plate.*

9. Scoop 2 tablespoon balls of the dough. Roll in sugar to coat completely.

10. Place balls on cookie sheets covered with parchment paper and space 2 inches apart. Bake cookies until cracked on top but still soft to touch, about 10-12 minutes. Let set on cookie sheet about 2-3 minutes, then remove to cooling rack.

Notes:

* Rather than regular granulated sugar, I dip these in large sugar crystals such as Sprinkle King, KingsBlingz White Diamond Crystalz. I get them online at SupplyVillage.com.

** I use bittersweet chocolate chips.

*** I find this step to be unnecessary if you use a cookie scoop. You have to handle the balls carefully when you dip them in the sugar but it works. It is definitely easier to roll them in the sugar when the dough is chilled.