Chocolate-Gingerbread Cookies

Sometimes in the fall I get the uncontrollable urge to bake something gingery!  I have a few ginger treats that are on regular fall rotation at our house.

These cookies are a great twist on your plain ginger cookie.  They are slightly more chewy over crisp and of course, there is the addition of chocolate chips!   I often will use chocolate chunks as a substitute, or maybe some nice, dark, 60% chocolate chips (which I can't even eat, but I feel like other people love 'em!).

Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

This recipe is adapted from Martha Stewart.  Makes about 2 dozen.

• 7 oz. good quality semi-sweet chocolate or chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 egg
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 1/2 cup dark-brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Directions

1. Grease 2 baking sheets. Chop chocolate into 1/4-inch chunks; set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cocoa.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and grated ginger until whitened, about 4 minutes. Add brown sugar; beat until combined. Add molasses; beat until combined.  Add egg; beat until combined.
3. In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in 1 1/2 teaspoons boiling water. Beat half of flour mixture into butter mixture. Beat in baking-soda mixture, then remaining half of flour mixture. Mix in chocolate; Refridgerate mixture for 2 hours or more.
4. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Roll dough into 1 1/2- inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar.  Place 2 inches apart on baking sheets.  Bake until the surfaces crack slightly, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.