My favorite Gingersnap Recipe

I love these cookies because they are spicy and taste like Fall.  I took this recipe from joyofbaking.com and made some minor changes.  I also added a pumpkin frosting filling for when you really want to go off the deep end.  The great thing about it is you can make a batch, roll the dough into balls and freeze them so you can bake off fresh gingersnap cookies throughout the Fall season.

Makes about 40 cookies

Ingredients:

3/4 cup room temp. butter

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup molasses 

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon groung nutmeg

Instructions:

1) In a mixing bowl, blend together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  

2) Add the molasses, egg and vanilla extract and beat for a minute.

3) add all os the other ingredients and mix to combine.

4) Put the dough in a covered container and chill for an hour.

5) Remove the dough from the fridge and roll into individual teaspoon-sized balls.  Roll them in sanding sugar or granulated sugar (optional)

6) At this point you can either bake them at 375 F (Convection 325 F) for about 10 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through baking, or you can put the balls of dough into a tupperware container and freeze them until you want to use them.  Also, If you want harder cookies, bake them 12 minutes, and softer ones bake in 8-10 minutes.  I personally like them a little chewy.

Pumpkin Frosting:

Makes about a quart of frosting

Ingredients:

1 lb butter

1 1/2 pounds confectioners (powdered) sugar

2 Tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup pumpkin butter

1) Beat the butter until light and fluffy.

2) Add the sugar, then all of the other ingredients.

When the gingersnaps are completely cooled, add frosting to the underside of one of them and top with another.  Enjoy!