Instructions: Mix [a]; set aside. Beat [b] together till smooth. Beat in [c], then [a]. Stir in flour till well-mixed. Using damp hands, roll dough into 1"-diameter balls. Place 1" apart on ungreased baking sheets. Slightly flatten balls with wet tines of a fork (dip tines in water about every 4 cookies). Then gently press again, with the tines at right angles to the marks already on the cookies, to flatten them to about 1/2"-high. The crisscross pattern on top of the cookies gives them their traditional crinkly top. Bake in preheated 325F oven 15 minutes for chewy cookies, 18 minutes for crisp. Remove baking sheets from the oven and let the cookies cool in place 3-4 minutes. Then carefully move with spatula to a cooling rack. Eat warm or at room temperature.

Makes 70.

favorite for hundreds of years, these are now so popular in ex-colonies such as the U.S. that we feel theyre typically all-American. The main difference between snaps and rolled cookies is that these have a greater proportion of sugar, which is what makes them chewy or brittle, depending on how long theyre baked. In England, theyre sometimes rolled around a spoon handle when hot, then filled with whipped cream before serving.

Gingersnap crumbs can be used in many ways: roll truffles in very finely ground crumbs instead of confectioners sugar or cocoa; use them in baked apples; and replace breadcrumbs in a meatloaf with them (sounds weird, but really, really good). If you have only two baking sheets, cover them with foil or parchment before you drop on the cookies. Slide the foil with baked cookies off the sheet, slide on another piece covered with unbaked coookies and return the sheet to the oven. Linda (hvane@shrewsbury.org) to The TNT Recipes List.

NOTES : I made about 35 large cookies, they were wonderful.

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