Nancy's Famous Ginger Snaps

Per Mame's request, here is my Ginger Snap recipe. I can't remember where this recipe came from. Maybe the Denver Post food section many moons ago.

Ginger Snap Cookies
3/4 cup vegetable shortening (I've used margarine, crisco and butter and all work fine)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
white sugar for dipping

Cream shortening and sugar. Add egg and molasses and mix well. Add dry ingredients and mix well again.
Chill at least one hour. Roll into 1-inch diameter balls and dip in white sugar. Bake on lightly greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 12 min. (Mine usually take more like 15-17 min)

The funny thing about these cookies is that they aren't actually very snappy. Mine have always turned out soft and chewy (except the one time I put in too much flour and they were hard as rocks and couldn't be ingested). I really like them soft, but if you are expecting crunchy you aren't likely to get it. It's a little hard to tell when they are done, because they are brown to begin with and don't really change color over time. Best way I've found to tell is that they will start to crack on the top - not all of them, but some.

They aren't hard to make, but they take some time. I often forget that they need to chill for a while and end up staying up later than I mean to. I have occasionally put them in the freezer for 20 min instead of the fridge for an hour, and that works OK. Also, I sometimes add a little cinnamon to the sugar that I dip them in, just to give them a little extra kick.

In any event, these are dee-lish. Enjoy!