Ginger Cookies (GF of course…)

And, tweaked, of course-starting with the gluten-free flour change to the original recipe from allrecipes.com "Big Soft Ginger Cookies".  Because I don't like giant cookies--I'm having two, minimally, so there's no need for great big ones-- and my oven is a little crazy here…We made them smaller, and they worked out really well. So, the altered recipe follows…

Gluten-Free Ginger Snaps
3/4 cups butter
1 cup sugar (I think Canadian style brown sugar would keep them softer)
1 egg
1 tbsp orange juice (change borrowed from another reviewer)
1/4 cup molasses

2 1/2 cups of cup4cup gluten free flour (from Williams Sonoma)
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp  no, 3-4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp pepper (inspired by Mom's additions of pepper to ginger snaps)
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp salt

Sugar to roll.  We have an larger crystal organic granulated sugar here, and we used that, because it's pretty. In the photo, there's a lot on each cookie--that's a little miss addition, because rolling them in sugar wasn't quite enough.  The unfortunate thing with adding sugar while they're cooling is that the sugar like to roll off onto the floor…so, I'd stick with just rolling the dough in sugar.  We teamed on this batch, because I needed to go out, so I portioned and rolled the balls, leaving the rest for her, and she did a great job.  As for learning from mistakes, there was a sad day many cookies ago, when she had her laboured over cookies in the oven, didn't pay attention to the setting and they were blackened shortbreads of sadness--These ginger cookies were very well-tended!

Directions, proceed as you normally would for cookies…roll into balls about an inch in diameter and flatten slightly with a fork.  The bigger they are, the longer they need to bake.  At 350F (175C) the two inch-and-a-half ones were to bake 8-10 mins.  I wrote on my paper that for next time, flatten "slightly" and only bake until they are uniform colour, and look not quite done, because they crisp up really easily after they're baked. For the little one inch kind that we made, 6-7 mins would be lots at actual 350F--but thanks to wonky ovens in several houses and tiring of throwing burned things out--I use a thermometer and monitor the temperature really closely.  This oven will soar to 450 when it's set at 350--and, well…that seems to make a difference.  Point?  Go by their appearance, and the original recipe said to cool on pan, which I'm on board with, as I think the cookie cooling rack is why our batch was so very crisp.  If you like crisp, then one minute in pan to set the shape, and then onto the cooling rack.

Cheers and chao.