extra spicy gingersnaps

I've always been a big fan of food with a punch. 

I love the burning sensation in my mouth after I've eaten some spicy Thai food, 

or the lip puckering flavor of a lemony lemonade. 

I always add extra hot sauce to my fried rice and my favorite candy is the the sour kind.

You understand, I like a punch. (in my food, not in my face)

//

The other day I was looking for a recipe for gingersnaps and none of the recipes seemed gingery or spicy enough. 

So I decided to adapt the recipes to make them more my kind of cookie.

(this recipe was my main starting point)

I upped the amount of ginger, added candied ginger,  

threw in a pinch of pepper and used freshly ground cloves.

I also wanted to make them a teensy bit healthier, 

so I subbed 1/4 cup of the regular flour for 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

The cookies turned out so delicious, I made about two dozen (they were on the bigger side), 

and a day later there definitely aren't as many left. 

I'll just leave it at that.

Extra spicy gingersnaps

1 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cups oil

1/4 molasses

1 egg

1 and 3/4 cups flour

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp ginger

about 2 tbsp of finely minced candied ginger

1/2 tsp cloves (I used freshly ground cloves)

a grinding of fresh black pepper

1/4 tsp salt

granulated sugar

Mix the sugar, oil, molasses and egg together. In a separate bowl mix together the flours, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, candied ginger, cloves, pepper and salt. Fold the molasses mixture into the the flour mixture. Roll into small balls, using about 1 tbsp of dough for each ball. ( I made mine bigger, and that's fine too). Roll in granulated sugar and place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 180 c/ 375F for 10-12 minutes.

Enjoy the delicious smell of ginger and spices wafting from your oven and when the cookies have cooled down enough to handle I dare you to just eat one. You won't succeed.

Love, Maria