Chewey Gingersnap Cookies

2 ½ c flour
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
2 tsp ground or fresh grated ginger
1 tsp diced crystallized ginger
½ tsp allspice
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 ¼ c dark brown sugar, firmly packed
¾ c salted butter, softened but not melted
1 large egg
¼ c molasses

Combine flour, soda, salt, gingers (unless using fresh – in that case, add fresh ginger to wet ingredients), allspice, and pepper. Mix well with a wire whisk, then set aside. Cream sugar and butter with electric mixer at medium speed. Scrape down sides of bowl, add egg and molasses and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

Add flour mixture and mix at low speed just until combined – DO NOT overmix. Chill the dough in the fridge at least 1 hour (which will make it easier to handle and harden up the butter so the cookies don’t go flat). Preheat oven to ???°F. Form dough into 1” balls and place on parchment- or silicone-lined cookie sheet about 1 ½” apart. Bake for 22-25 minutes. Use a spatula to immediately transfer cookies to a cool, flat surface.

Time to make: about 2 hours

Source: Marisa Peterson Bentley