Gingerbread Cookies - below

Method

• Ginger Snaps from Joy of Cooking
• For very crunchy cookies, overbake slightly' for more tender ones, underbake by a minute or two.
• Position a rack in the upper third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease cookie sheets.
• Whisk together thoroughly:
• 3 3/4 C flour
• 1 1/2 t baking powder
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 4 t ground ginger
• 1 t ground cinnamon
• 1/4 t ground cloves
• 1/4 t salt
• Beat on medium speed until very fluffy and well blended:
• 12 T (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 2/3 C sugar
• Add and beat until well combined:
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 C dark molasses
• 2 t fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 t finely grated lemon zest
• Stir the flour mixture into the molasses mixture until well blended and smooth. Pull off pieces of the dough and roll into generous 1-inch balls. Space about 1 1/2 inches apart on the sheets. Pat down the balls to flatten the tops just slightly.
• Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until the cookies are tinged with brown and just firm when lightly pressed in the center of the top, 10 to 13 minutes; rotate the sheet halfway through baking for even browning. The cookies flatten and develop cracks during baking. Remove the sheet to a rack and let stand until the cookies firm slightly. Transfer the cookies to racks to cool.