Holiday Baking Part I

I've never been very enamored by this holiday season, but I do love the baking involved! Recently, I made several desserts. Some at the request of my family, but mostly at my whim. Just to start off I made some ginger cookies, but not just any ginger cookies, but giant ginger cookies. This is a pretty standard recipe and you can get it from the New BHG Cook Book. 

Giant Ginger Cookies

Ingredients

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups shortening* 

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cups molasses

3/4 cup sugar

Procedure 

1. In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, gloves, and salt; set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat shortening with electric mixer on a low speed for 30 seconds. Add the 2 cups sugar. Beat until combined, scraping the sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and molasses until combined. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour mixture. 

1. Shape dough into 2-inch balls using a 1/4 cup measure or scoop. Roll balls in the 3/4 cup sugar. Place 2 1/

2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet**. 

3. Bake in a  350° F oven for 11 to 13 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned and tops are puffed (do not over bake.) Cool on cookie sheet or 2 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and let cool. 

* I really do detest cooking with shortening and and avoid it when possible. In this case I actually substituted half the shortening with unsalted butter. They came out well for me (while I'm sure there is a good reason for using shortening instead, I don't know of it.) My dread of shortening is due to an incident I had when trying to make lemon curd in the past...I try not to think about it too much... *shudder* 

** The instructions say to put them on an ungreased cookie sheet, but I would suggest laying down a sheet of parchment paper on top of the cookie sheet to facilitate the cookies coming off after their time in the oven. It is important to use parchment paper, and not just wax paper. This is because wax paper leaves a residue and a smell to the cookies. I swear by parchment paper, it has changed my life in the kitchen! 

Now, when I was making these cookies I neglected to put the sugar on the outside, but they tasted great all the same, even if it took away from its end presentation.