Chewy Gingersnap Cookies
2 1/4 Cups all-purpose flour
1 Tsp baking soda
1/4 Tsp salt
2 1/2 Tsp plus a big pinch ground cinnamon, divided
1 1/2 Tsp ground ginger
1/4 Tsp ground cloves
1/2 Tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 unsweetened applesauce
1/3 Cup mild molasses (I used strong because we like a pronounced molasses flavor.)
2 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/2 Cup finely chopped candied ginger (or Ginger Chips)
1/2 Cup granulated sugar (for dusting)
Assemble the dry ingredients. Place a fine mesh sieve over a medium bowl and sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, 2 1/2 Tsp of cinnamon, ground ginger, cloves, and pepper. If your pepper gets caught in the sieve simply tap it out into the bowl.
Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment beat the brown sugar, applesauce, and molasses for 5 minutes on medium speed. Stop the mixer every few minutes and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. After 5 minutes, add the egg whites and continue to beat for 1 minute. Turn down the mixer to the lowest speed and slowly add in the dry ingredients, mixing until they are totally incorporated into the wet ingredients. Turn up the speed on the mixer to medium and mix for 1 minute more. Turn off the mixer, remove the paddle, and stir in the candied ginger by hand. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator until the dough is firm, at least 1 hour and up to 1 week.
While the dough is chilling, pre-heat the oven to 350 ° with racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Line two standard baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Using a small bowl, stir together the remaining pinch of cinnamon and the granulated sugar.
Use a small spring-loaded ice cream scoop or two spoons to shape the dough into round, walnut size balls of dough (about 1 Tbsp each). Drop the ball of dough into the cinnamon sugar mixture and roll it around until it is covered on all sides. Use your hands to shape the dough into a round ball if needed. The dough is quite sticky, but this is normal, so don’t worry if they balls are not perfect spheres. Set the balls of dough about 3 inches apart on the baking sheets. Return any unused dough to the refrigerator while the first batch bakes.
Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake until the cookies are just barely set in the centers, about 13 minutes. Rotate the sheets half-way through baking if necessary to provide even cooking. If you want extra chewy cookies, lightly press down on the cookies with a spatula to flatten them halfway through baking. (I did not do this and found that they were plenty chewy.) Let the cookies cool on the sheets until they are firm enough to handle, about 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let them cool completely.
The cookies will keep in an air-tight container for 3-5 days (if they last that long!) You can store the dough in the refrigerator for up to 1 week and in the freezer for 2 months.
