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Health & Fitness

Gingersnap Cookies for All

Who would guess these favorite spice cookies are Gluten Free, Lactose Free and Soy Free? Included are recipes for Gingersnaps, Chocolate Gingersnaps and variations on a Gingersnap Crust.

 

The familiar taste of these old-time spice cookies will not give away that they are allergy-free. Gluten-free flour is mixed with spices, brown sugar and molasses to make a very satisfying cookie snack, an essential pick-me-up part of the day truly missed by those who cannot just grab any box of cookies at the supermarket. 

Paying a premium for specialty prepared food is sometimes a necessity, but I trust that once you taste these home baked Gingersnaps you will agree they are so inexpensive to make and more flavorful than those commercially prepared; and the bonus is that they have no preservatives.

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Why not make an extra batch to create a Gingersnap Crumb Crust for a holiday Pumpkin Pie or Cheesecake if your diets permits you to have dairy? Additional pie filling and crumb crust recipe ideas follow below. 

Here is the recipe.

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Gluten-Free Gingersnap Cookies

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon brown rice flour

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 stick butter, softened (not melted)

1/2 cup unsulfured molasses

1/2 cup sugar (for cookie tops)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a cookie sheet, set aside.

In a small mixing bowl mix together the flour, spices, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl beat the butter with the brown sugar and molasses until combined. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients a little at a time. This will make a somewhat stiff dough. 

Dampen your hands and pinch off small sections and roll into 3/4-inch balls. Place the rolled dough balls 1-inch apart on a buttered cookie sheet. After forming all the dough into balls, press flat with the bottom of a wet glass dipped in granulated sugar to 1/4-inch thick.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until tops begin to crack. Do not leave in oven longer than 15 minutes or they will become too crunchy. These cookies brown only slightly. Remove from cookie sheet on to a cooling rack. Makes 2 dozen 1-1/2-inch cookies

Cook's Note: Add about 1 tablespoon of grated fresh ginger for a stronger "gingery" taste. To make Chocolate Gingersnaps, add 1 tablespoon of unsweetened Cocoa and 7-ounces of chocolate chips to the recipe above. 

 

Gingersnap Crumb Crust

Mix 1-1/3 cups fine gingersnap crumbs, about 20 gingersnaps with 6 tablespoons of soft butter until crumbly. Press mixture on the bottom and sides of an 8-inch or 9-inch pie pan. Bake in a moderate 375 degree (preheated for 10-minutes) oven for 8 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack, cool.

Various Filling Ideas:  Homemade Pumpkin Pie filling, Banana Cream Pie, a Dark Chocolate Tart, Key Lime Pie, or Lemon Cheesecake to name a few. 

Cook's Note: For a Gingersnap Nut Crust, substitute 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans for gingersnaps. 

 

Please do not hesitate to write with any questions or comments you may have.

Buon Appetito! from Amelia's Kitchen

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