{"id":2258,"date":"2014-01-10T16:32:38","date_gmt":"2014-01-11T00:32:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.therowdybaker.com\/?p=2258"},"modified":"2016-09-29T09:56:05","modified_gmt":"2016-09-29T16:56:05","slug":"extra-spicy-gingersnaps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.therowdybaker.com\/?p=2258","title":{"rendered":"Extra Spicy Gingersnaps"},"content":{"rendered":"

When the weather turns cold and wintry, my first instinct is to start adding spices to everything. We just had a homemade chicken soup full of garlic, ginger, and homemade noodles (if you’re sick, this will cure whatever ails you) but since this is a baking blog, I had to look for something else to offer you. Something that would light a mild fire in your belly and make you sigh with happiness.<\/p>\n

Something like EXTRA SPICY GINGERSNAPS!
\n\"\"<\/a>\"MiscJan2014<\/a><\/p>\n

If you know me or have been following my blogs, you’ll know that I rarely do things the easy way. It’s all about experimenting and finding new challenges. So just because I went all out and toasted and ground whole spices, that doesn’t mean you<\/em> have to. These cookies will be very, very good if you use ground spices from your cupboard. If you want them to be excellent<\/em>, however, here’s what you’ll want to do:<\/p>\n

\"Toast<\/a>

Toast those spices!<\/p><\/div>\n

Put one whole nutmeg, 12 whole cloves, and 2 or 3 sticks of cinnamon (broken in half) in a small pan. Turn the burner on medium-low and cook for 4-5 minutes, shaking or stirring them often. When the fragrance hits you upside the head, they’re done!<\/p>\n

Set the nutmeg aside to cool and put the cloves and cinnamon into a clean coffee grinder. It’s going to sound awful when you turn it on, but do it anyway! Grind those babies up as fine as possible. I sift mine through a small sieve to keep big chunks out of the cookie dough, and then put the remaining bits back in the grinder for a few more seconds.<\/p>\n

\"Sift<\/a>

Sift out the stubborn chunks.<\/p><\/div>\n

Grate the toasted nutmeg with a fine grater. I used 1 teaspoon of freshly ground nutmeg in this recipe. You can wrap the rest of the whole nutmeg up in plastic wrap and save it for another day if you wish.<\/p>\n

\"Grating<\/a>

Grating nutmeg.<\/p><\/div>\n

You will be seriously amazed by the added flavor freshly toasted spices add to baked goods.<\/p>\n

However, since I’m pretty sure most of you are rolling your eyes back in your head right this very moment, I used regular spices in the recipe below.<\/strong> If you are making these cookies using freshly toasted spices (FIST BUMP!) use the entire amount you just ground up.<\/p>\n

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Extra Spicy Gingersnaps<\/div>\n
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Author: The Rowdy Baker<\/span><\/div>\n
These gingersnaps will warm you to your toes, and make you come back for more! Makes approximately 4 dozen cookies.<\/div>\n
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Ingredients<\/div>\n