1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons minced fresh gingerroot
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking cocoa
1-1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
7 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup coarse sugar
1. In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 5 to 7 minutes. Beat in the molasses, water and gingerroot. Combine the flour, cocoa, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate. Cover and refrigerate until easy to handle, about 2 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350°. Shape dough into 1-in. balls; roll in sugar. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets.
3. Bake until tops begin to crack, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks.
TOTAL TIME: Prep: 45 min. + chilling Bake: 10 min./batch
YIELD: about 3-1/2 dozen.
When my daughter, Jennifer, was 15 years old, she created this recipe as a way to combine two of her favorite flavors. They're perfect with a glass of milk.
Nutrition Facts
1 cookie: 80 calories, 4g fat (2g saturated fat), 6mg cholesterol, 47mg sodium, 9g carbohydrate (6g sugars, 0 fiber), 1g protein.