Ultimate Ginger-ific Cookies!

Wow, folks. Yes, I am still baking. I've been baking for days and am still loving every messy minute of it! Of course there are rewards, you know--like watching my son lick the beater, hearing my daughter giggle when handed her first-ever Gingerbread man and of course my own tasting of this and that. YUM!


I was making these Ultimate Ginger Cookies today, recipe courtesy of Brown Eyed Baker and in turn from Ina Garten. I had just made some Gingerbread men, angels and reindeer a few days ago, and Chris told me he thought they were a little hot. So, as I was pouring the spices into my bowl for the Ultimate Ginger Cookies today, I thought to myself, "Oh Babe. You ain't seen hot YET!"


So, here is the photo that gives you an idea of what made me want to start to write this post. There are A LOT of spices in this recipe. I mean TONS. Can you see the layer upon layer upon layer in the bowl? Don't they remind you of those colored beach sand sculptures you made as a kid?


There was a point in the recipe where it called for beating the brown sugar, oil and molasses for 5 minutes. 5 MINUTES??? That's a long time for someone who is whipping these things out during naps and prolonged baseball sessions on the Wii! But look at the ooey gooey result!


And yes, after all those spices, the cinnamon, the nutmeg, the cloves, the ground ginger, there is one of my most favorite ingredients in all the world: crystallized ginger. MORE THAN A CUP OF IT, chopped up and added into the mix.


I was surprised at how dry the dough seemed, and in fact I did add a little more oil at the end, right before forming the cookies.


Formed into flat circles, dipped in sugar on both sides, slid into the oven and . . .


KAPOW!!!! Ginger-ific amazing-ness!!!


And yes, these are HOT. Not for the faint of heart. And yes, I LOVE THEM. For those of you getting them in your cookie baskets for Christmas gifts, I hope you love them too!!!