Combine fresh and dried ginger with cinnamon, nutmeg and lots of black pepper to create these festive treats. It’s been a long couple of uncertain years, and a homemade cookie is a surefire win.

Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients for the cookie:

• 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

• 3 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely grated

• 1 tablespoon ground ginger

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated

• 2 cups powdered sugar

• 3 tablespoons unsulphured molasses

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

• 1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 large egg, room temperature

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

Ingredients for the coating:

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• 2 teaspoons ground ginger

Directions:

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter until foamy, about 3 minutes. Continue cooking butter, stirring and scraping frequently with a stiff silicone spatula, until the sputtering has subsided and the butter solids look deeply browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, then whisk in the fresh ginger and ground spices. Scrape the butter and any brown bits at the bottom into the bowl of a stand mixer (or into a large bowl if using a hand mixer). Set aside until cool, slightly solid, but still creamy, about 20 minutes in the refrigerator or 2 hours at room temperature.

Add powdered sugar, molasses, vanilla, salt and baking soda to the cooled butter. Mix on low with the paddle attachment, stopping once to scrape the bowl and paddle, until creamy and combined, about 1 minute.

Add the egg and mix on medium until pale and fluffy, stopping once to scrape the bowl and paddle, about 2 minutes. Add flour and mix until evenly combined, about 30 seconds. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days before baking.

Prepare the sugar coating: In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and ground ginger. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper, arrange the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven, and heat oven to 375 degrees.

Using a No. 40 cookie scoop or two spoons, scoop the cookie dough into 2-tablespoon portion.

Roll the portioned cookie dough into balls and coat in the ginger sugar. Arrange on the sheet tray at least 1 inch apart and bake until set and lightly browned around the edges, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Total time: 35 minutes, plus 2 1/2 hours’ chilling; makes 24 cookies.

Tip:

Cookies are best eaten the day they are baked. Cookie dough portions can be frozen, then coated in sugar and baked from frozen as needed. Do not thaw; bake frozen portions for 11-13 minutes.

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