Ginger Buttons for Santa

Ginger Button Crisps


As I was going through my baking list again, I felt a sudden pang of nostalgia. It has been fun trying new recipes but I am missing my mom's gingery buttons. They are light and crispy, a little larger than the size of a penny but packs a gingery punch. It is delicious with a cold glass of milk to quell the spiciness. The ingredients are basic and method is simple and requires no special equipment; just your good ol' hands. It's a great activity to get the family all involved. I remember being excited as a child rolling the tiny balls of dough and watching them puff in the oven. So this weekend, get the kids into the holiday mood and fill the house some Christmas aroma and spirit!

Mom's Ginger Buttons
Yields quite a bit of delectable spicy morsels

Ingredients
8oz AP flour
4oz Butter - softened
8oz Light Brown Sugar
4-6 tbsp Ground Ginger - 4 tbsp yields a mild spiciness
1 medium egg
1 tsp heap baking soda - fresh yields a crispier texture
1 tbsp milk
Pinch of salt

Method
Preheat oven 350˚. Add AP flour, sugar and ginger ( to taste ) into butter and squish with hands until incorporated. Lightly beat baking soda, salt into the milk and egg mixture just to break up. Make a well in the center of the dough and pour in the egg mixture. Mix with hands until well incorporated, a ball of dough should form together.


Start rolling little balls the size of tiny marbles. To get consistent sizes, I make a long dough and cut it very much like making gnocchi. Place on parchment lined cookie sheets 2 inches apart, they will spread. Do not roll them any larger than a small marble or the cookies will bake hard. Bake in pre-heated oven for about 8 minutes until golden brown and crispy. These bake fast check the cookies around 7 minutes, it may take a few minutes less or longer in some ovens. Mine bakes perfectly in 8 minutes.