Ginger Snaps
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a quick oven”. The 400°F (200°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Prepare
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
Shape and bake
In a bowl, mix the baking soda and ginger into the cookie dough.
Scoop heaping teaspoonfuls of the dough and roll them thin.
Place on a baking sheet and bake until golden.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Baking soda
- Raises the dough's pH so the cookies spread, brown well and turn crisp.
- Ground ginger
- Provides the warm, spicy aroma and flavor that define the cookie.
- Cookie dough
- Forms the base structure and body of the cookies.
The step that matters
Mix the baking soda evenly into the dough. Baking soda that stays in clumps reacts unevenly, so some cookies rise or spread unevenly and can taste bitter or soapy in spots. Thorough mixing gives a consistent texture and browning.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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