Holiday baking - Chewy Chocolate Ginger Cookies

 Good morning! Baking gingerbread cookies this morning with the boys....glad I cooked dinner already HAHA.

These are a favourite from Martha Stewart

Chewy Chocolate-Gingerbread Cookies

CREDIT: JOSEPH DE LEO

Ingredients

Ingredient Checklist

• 1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1/2 cup dark-brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons boiling water
• 7 ounces best-quality semisweet chocolate, cut into 1/4-inch chunks
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Directions

Instructions Checklist

• Step 1

  Line two baking sheets with parchment. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cocoa.

• Step 2

  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and grated ginger until lightened, about 4 minutes. Add brown sugar; beat until combined. Add molasses; beat until combined.

• Step 3

  In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in boiling water. Beat half of flour mixture into butter mixture. Beat in baking-soda mixture, then remaining half of flour mixture. Mix in chocolate; turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Pat dough out to about 1 inch thick; seal with wrap. Refrigerate until firm, 2 hours or overnight.

• Step 4

  Heat oven to 325 degrees. Roll dough into 1 1/2- inch balls; place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Roll in granulated sugar. Bake until the surfaces crack slightly, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating halfway through. Let cool on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool completely. Cookies are best the day they are made but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.