Gingerbread Crackle Cookies

These were the best gingerbread cookies I have ever had. The kids missed rolling and cutting, so I bought a roll of premade gingerbread dough for them to do (as well as the sugar cookies we made). These are just too delicious for me to care about rolling and cutting.

Ingredients:

·         2 cups all-purpose flour

·         2 teaspoons baking soda

·         1- 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

·         1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

·         1/2 teaspoon salt

·         1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

·         1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

·         1/2 cup vegetable shortening

·         1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

·         1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

·         1/2 cup granulated sugar

·         1/4 cup molasses

·         1 large egg

·         1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar for rolling. I used colored sugar mixed with plain.

Directions

·         Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

·         In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, salt, allspice and cloves.

·         Add the shortening, butter and the brown and granulated sugars to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Slip in the molasses and egg and beat until well incorporated. Add the flour mixture by scoopfuls and beat until combined.

·         Add the extra sugar to a small plate or bowl. Roll the dough into balls that are 1 inch in diameter,  then roll in the sugar. Place on a baking sheet 2 inches apart. Bake the cookies 9 to 11 minutes, rotating halfway through the baking time. Cool on the baking sheets for 4 minutes, then continue cooling on wire racks. Repeat with the second batch.

NOTE: the original source said to rotate the pans. I've tried it both ways. The ones not rotated looked a bit browner on the bottom. Enough that I noticed, but not enough to fret over, so try it both ways yourself and decide! I usually do rotate, since I'm standing there anyway. 9 minutes total - 5 then 4.

Notes: These cookies are nice and chewy on the inside with a nice crunch on the outside. They have a wonderfully soft texture from using both shortening and butter. When you bake these cookies your house will smell like Christmas!

If you let the cookies completely cool before removing them, they will stick to the pan.