Old Fashioned Ginger Snaps

I had such plans for my evening that involved baking. We ate dinner and watched a movie. By the time it was over, I was falling asleep in my chair (it was barely 8 pm). There would be no baking for me. My husband so kindly made a gingerbread cake for me to take to my ladies night tonight. During the night, I was dreaming that I accidentally ate all the gingerbread - I guess I could smell it in my sleep - so I had to make cookies. Since I was unable to experiment with the baking mix, I decided to share a cookie recipe. Not just any cookie but a gingery snap that reminises of gingerbread and all those wonderful Christmas smells (which make me wonder why I didn't dream of Christmas, I remember going to sleep thinking the house smelled like it).


Old Fashioned Ginger Snaps
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup shortening
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together the sugars, molasses, shortening, butter, egg, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth. In another large bowl combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, salt, cinnamon, and cloves. Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture and beat while adding the water. Continue to mix until ingredients are incorporated. Measure a heaping teaspoon of dough at time. Roll the dough into a sphere between the palms of your hands then press the dough onto the cookie. Flatten to about 1/8-inch thick. Bake cookies for 10-14 minutes or until edges begin to brown and cookies are crispy when cool. Makes 120 (10 dozen) cookies.

Spicebread

I took this recipe from The Pleasure of Whole-Grain Breads by Beth Hensperger and changed it to suit my pantry. It's a nice gingerbread/spice cake recipe but not all that sweet and full of whole grains.
I will list the original ingredients at the end of the recipe.
Spicebread
1 stick butter/margarine
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup molasses
1 cup boiling water
1 TB instant coffee
2 teas baking soda
4 TB apricot brandy
1 1/2 TB cinnamon baking spice (similar to apple pie spice)
1/2 teas dry mustard
1/4 teas black pepper
1 cup millet flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
3/4 cup AP flour
1 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
Cream butter with sugar until well combined. Add eggs one at a time. Add molasses in a steady stream and beat until all combined. Pour boiling water into glass bowl and add instant coffee (I did this in a glass measuring cup). Add baking soda to butter and egg mixture. Add spices and mix well. Pour in brandy and mix. Alternate coffee with flours and mix well until your batter is lump free and all wet.
Pour into a 9x9 pan (greased) and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

Original ingredients:
1/4 cup chopped crystalized ginger
3 TB finely chopped candied orange peel
3 TB cognac (pour these three in a bowl and let sit for 30 minutes before starting batter)
1 1/2 cups teff or millet flour
2 cups AP flour
2 teas baking soda
1 TB gd ginger
1 teas cinnamon
1/2 teas cloves
1/2 teas gd coriander
1/2 teas gd nutmeg
1/2 teas dry mustard
1/4 teas gd mace
1/4 teas black pepper
1 stick butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup molasses
1 cup boiling water
1 TB instant espresso powder.