We were out of ginger candies, ginger ale and ginger tea, and Evie had a stomach ache.
I did find some ground ginger left over from our Thanksgiving pumpkin pie recipe, but what good would that do? I sat down next to my tweener curled up on the sofa and saw the answer sitting right there on the coffee table.
I lit the tree and put on our Charlie Brown Christmas CD. “Let’s bake some Christmas cookies, sweetie. It will take your mind off your tummy.”
Lucky me that we’re featuring a soft, chewy gingersnap cookie recipe in “The Joy of Baking” section of Guideposts’ The Joys of Christmas 2014.
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The simple ingredients were already in my kitchen cabinets, except for one-third cup of molasses, which my neighbor had in her fridge. That tummy ache didn’t stand a chance.
In no time, the house smelled warm and happy. Evie was smiling before the cookies had even cooled. Two for her, two for me, a tin for the neighbor across the way.
Thank you, Lavonne Caffey Zaiontz of Huntsville, Tennessee. Your No-Snap Gingersnaps saved the day and spread some Christmas joy.
No-Snap Gingersnap Cookies
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2½ teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 scant cup of sugar, plus extra for rolling
¾ cup vegetable shortening
1 egg, beaten
⅓ cup molasses
Mix together flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. In separate bowl, cream together sugar, shortening, egg and molasses. Slowly add dry mixture to cream mixture.
Roll quarter-sized balls of dough, then roll each ball in granulated sugar. Place balls about 3 inches apart on a cookie sheet. Do not flatten balls. Bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes. Leave them 1 to 2 minutes before removing. Makes about 60 cookies.
