Sugar Baby's Ginger Cookies

These Ginger Cookies by Sugar Baby's Gesine Bullock Prado was also a popular recipe that I found when scouring other food blogs. What caught my eye was that it called for adding some white pepper in addition to the other spices. Since I like a little heat in my cookies, I decided that I had to try this recipe as well.

The baked cookies didn't have that crackled look, but they were still thick and chewy. I could definitely detect the heat from the white pepper and, unlike the Ina Garten Ginger Cookies, this time I could taste the ginger. But, even then, the taste still failed to wow my family and I. Somehow, it just didn't have that flavor that I always think of when I think of ginger cookies. But, there's still three more recipes left to try before this search ends and I have a few frontrunners in mind as well. As to which one will be the winner, all will be revealed by the end of this week.

Ginger Cookies (Gesine Bullock-Prado)

1 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 c. white sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
1/4 c. + 2 Tbsp. molasses
1 egg
2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. ginger powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. white pepper
granulated sugar for rolling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, white sugar, brown sugar, and molasses until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, incorporating well after each addition.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. With the mixer on low speed, gently add the flour mixture until just incorporated. Be very careful not to overmix. Fold in the crystallized ginger and chill the dough, covered, for a few hours or overnight.

Using a large cookie scoop, scoop the cookies and dip them in sanding sugar so that they are completely coated. Place the cookies on a parchment-lined sheet pan, spacing them 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.

Bake for about 15 minutes. The cookies will crack a bit but should still be soft in the middle. Place on wire racks to cool. Makes about 30 cookies.