Soft Ginger Cookies

I'm always amazed at what Tink actually likes. She seems to really enjoy strong flavors. Her favorite food, if you can call it a food, is mustard. She went an entire week refusing to eat anything but peanut butter and mustard sandwiches. Yes, you read that right. Peanut butter and MUSTARD. I cringed with every bite she took. She's the same 2 year old that also loves Parmesan cheese, provolone, feta, so I shouldn't have been too surprised when she began to ask for ginger cookies. Tink had eaten the occasional store bought gluten free gingersnap, but they left something to be desired. They're super crumbly and get stale fast. They weren't the type of ginger cookies I grew up eating. I wanted something with a slightly crisp outside, but a soft and chewy inside. I didn't have a recipe so one of my mommy friends helped me out. She gave me two different recipes to try. The first reminded me of little pillows of gingerbread. While they had a great flavor, they weren't what I was looking for. Her second recipe was exactly what I wanted. They were soft and chewy and the outside sugar coating gave them a slight crunch. Tink thought they were delicious too. Baker beware though. The first batch I made, I burned. My cookie sheet is permanently scarred. Watch them closely and keep an even closer eye on your oven temp. If you can smell them, they're most likely done.

Gingersnaps
3/4 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
2 1/4 cup gluten free flour
1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg

sugar for rolling

Cream shortening, sugar and eggs. Add molasses. Mix in dry ingredients until well blended. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350. Scoop tablespoons, roll into balls and coat with granulated sugar. Bake 6-8 minutes.