Shelly Jones Chewy Ginger Spice Cookies

Shelly Jones is the author of the Wren Winters Mystery Series, a cozy mystery series that features Wren Winters, an amateur sleuth and gaming enthusiast who solves mysteries with her friends.

You can learn more about Shelly and the Wren Winters Mysteries on shellyjonesauthor.com.

Recipe Note From Author Shelly Jones

Ginger is a favorite flavor in our house, from ginger ale to gingersnaps to crystallized ginger. These cookies are a spicy, chewy treat to share any time of year. Wren Winters and her friends in Player Elimination, the first of my nerdy, cozy mystery series, would love baking dice-shaped cut-out cookies of this recipe to enjoy while spending a winter’s afternoon around the gaming table. You can buy dice-shaped cookie cutters online (or use any fun shape of your choice!).  For an extra special touch, be sure to add the dots on the dice sides, called pips. Pip, Wren’s black and white cat, is sure to approve!

Chewy Ginger Spice Cookies Recipe

Prep time: 10-15 mins | Chill time: 1+ hour | Bake time: 12-14 mins

Ingredients

Cookies:

• 1 cup white granulated sugar

• 1 stick unsalted butter

• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening

• 1/3 cup brown sugar

• 1 tbsp cold water

• 1 large egg

• 2 1/3 cup all purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 2 1/2 teaspoon ginger

• 1/2 teaspoon clove

• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Icing:

• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup

• 2-3 tablespoons milk (or enough to reach desired consistency)

• food coloring of your choice

Cookie Directions

1. If baking immediately: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Beat together butter, shortening, sugar, salt, baking soda and baking powder. All mixing can be done with a pastry cutter or an electric mixer.

3. Beat in egg, brown sugar, and water.

4. Add the flour and spices and beat together until smooth. The mix will be somewhat firm and crumbly, but should press together easily.

5. At this point, refrigerate until ready to bake. For best results, refrigerate for 1+ hours so cut-out cookies will hold shape.

6. Form dough into a large ball and roll out on a floured surface with a rolling pin. Cut out cookies in whatever shape you prefer. (Alternatively, you can simply form 1" balls and place them on a cookie sheet).

7. If the cookies are soft, you can place them in the refrigerator for 10-20 minutes to firm up before baking.

8. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until browning across the top. Sides will be crisp, but the middle will be soft. The cookies will still be puffed up when you take them out of the oven, but will drop as they cool.

9. Cool cookies thoroughly before icing.

Icing Directions

1. Beat powdered sugar, vanilla extract, corn syrup and 1 tablespoon milk in a small bowl until smooth.

2. Add one tablespoon of milk at a time until you reach your desired consistency.

3. Stir in food coloring to reach desired color.

4. Decorate cookies and allow icing to set. You’ll need an icing bag and a size #2 decorating tip for icing. Use white cookie icing to outline the facets of the dice. Allow the icing to set for approximately 10 minutes. Then use red and green (or color of choice) icing to flood in the dice faces. You may need to use a toothpick to spread out the icing to the edges. Let the flooded sections set 10 minutes before going back with white icing to add the pips (the spots on the dice sides representing numbers).

Alternatively, you can buy pre-made cookie icing already in a piping bag in the baking aisle of most grocery stores.

Makes approximately 24 two-inch cookies.