Snack: Chewy Ginger Cookies

Recipe by Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez Use a triple hit of ginger—fresh, ground, and crystallized—and blackstrap molasses to lift your ginger cookies to the next level. The dough is rolled in raw sugar for a sparkly effect.

This recipe includes superfoods such as:

Cinnamon

Health benefits of Chewy Ginger Cookies

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060).

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable shortening (preferably trans-fat free)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1/2 cup blackstrap (robust) molasses
2 teaspoons finely grated peeled ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
1 cup raw or sanding sugar

Instructions

Arrange racks in lower and upper thirds of oven; preheat to 350 °F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, ground ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat brown sugar, shortening, and butter in a large bowl, scraping down sides halfway through beating, until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add egg, molasses, grated ginger, and vanilla; beat just to blend. Add flour mixture; beat on low speed just to blend. Mix in crystallized ginger (dough will be very soft and sticky).
Place raw sugar in a shallow bowl. Using a tablespoon measure, scoop out dough. Using a second spoon, scoop dough from tablespoon measure into bowl with raw sugar; turn to coat well. Roll into a ball. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Repeat with half of remaining dough and sugar, spacing balls 1 1/2" apart.
Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are firm and centers appear cracked, 10-12 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks and let cool. Repeat with remaining dough and sugar, using cooled baking sheets and new parchment. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature between sheets of parchment or waxed paper.