My Favorite Gingersnap Cookies - Vegan

I found the regular version of this recipe way back in the late 80's when I purchased a Company's Coming Cookie cookbook in British Columbia.  This is only gingersnap recipe I've ever made since I first tried it all those years ago.

Of course being vegan for over three years I have done a few modifications.  If you are not vegan then go ahead and use regular butter or margarine and 1 regular egg in place of the vegan flax egg and margarine.

The smell when they are baking is divine, and the raw cookie dough isn't bad either.  While I use organic unsulphured blackstrap molasses, I am sure you could use another kind of molasses but the cookies wouldn't be as rich.  This cookie is not a health food, but I'd like to think the health benefits of molasses at least make up for it a bit.

My batch of cookies made 59 individual cookies so the calories of each one can't be too bad, can they?

One thing to watch out for is over baking.  Cook just until the outsides are set and the centers will be chewy when cool.  Sometimes one more minute makes the difference between a crispy 'dunk in your tea' cookie and a chewy centered one.  Experiment with the first baking sheet as your oven may be different from mine.

MY FAVORITE GINGERSNAP COOKIES

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup vegan Margarine (I used Earth Balance Soy Free sticks)

1 cup Evaporated Cane Juice (sugar, not too coarse)

1 Flax Egg (1 Tbsp ground flax seed + 3 Tbsp warm water)

1/2 cup unsulphured Blackstrap Molasses

2-1/2 cups unbleached organic Flour

2 tsp Baking soda

2 tsp powdered/ground Ginger

1 tsp ground Cinnamon

1/4 tsp Salt

  * 1/4 cup Sugar placed in a small bowl or Ziploc bag for coating cookies

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 350˚F (176˚C).  Spray your baking sheets with non-stick spray.

2.  In a large mixing bowl (a stand mixer such as KitchenAid is preferred) cream margarine and sugar together.  Add flax egg and beat again.  Add molasses and beat once more.

3.  In separate bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and salt.

4.  By the spoonful add the flour mixture to the molasses mixture.  Stop the mixer to scrape sides a few times.

(Dough ready for shaping)

5.  Shape dough into 1 inch balls and roll in the extra sugar to coat.  Use a little flour on your hands if you find the dough sticking to them when shaping into balls.  

(Coating the dough with sugar)

6.  Place cookies on the greased baking sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes. I baked mine for 11 minutes and they were a tad too crispy. I recommend one baking sheet in the oven at a time.

(Ready for baking)

7.  Remove from oven and let cool for a minute or two on the baking sheets before removing to a wire rack. Using a metal spatula to remove the cookies is recommended as a silicone or plastic one can be too thick.

(Get in my belly)

Bon Appetit

" I think cookies are sort of the unsung sweet, you know?  They're incredibly popular. But everybody thinks of cakes and pies and fancier desserts before they think cookies.  A plate of cookies is a great way to end dinner and really nice to share at the holidays." - Chef Bobby Flay

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