Williams-Sonoma Double-Ginger Snaps

From the book Cookies by Williams-Sonoma. I liked these because I appreciated the crunchy sugar outside and chewy inside, but one time I got sick after eating one (unrelated) and now I don't want them anymore. And Eric likes the Pioneer Woman ones better. And I don't love making the crystallized ginger. So I might not make these again for awhile. Anyway, instructions are copied verbatim.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp salt

2/3 cup canola oil

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/3 cup dark molasses

1 large whole egg, lightly beaten, plus 1 large egg white

3/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger

1/2 cup coarse sugar crystals

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets or line them with parchment (baking) paper. 

2. Sift the flour, ground ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt together onto a sheet of waxed paper. 

3. In a large bowl, stir the oil, brown sugar, and molasses together with a wooden spoon until well blended. Add the whole egg and beat until blended. Stir in the flour mixture and crystallized ginger. 

4. Lightly beat the egg white in a small bowl. Spread the sugar crystals in a shallow bowl. 

5. With dampened hands, shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Brush each ball lightly with egg white and roll in the sugar to coat lightly. Place the cookies about 1 inch apart on the prepared pans. 

6. Bake the cookies until the tops are set and crackled, 15-18 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the pans on wire racks for 5 minutes before transferring them to the racks to cool completely. The cookies will firm as they cool. 

My Notes

I follow their instructions for making crystallized ginger (below). I also roll the ball in the egg white because brushing it was too messy. 

Crystallized Ginger

Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil. Stir in 1/2 cup sugar until dissolved. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, then add 1 cup thinly sliced (1/8 inch), peeled fresh ginger. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain, then put the ginger in a bowl with 1/2 cup sugar and toss to coat. Spread out in a single layer on waxed paper and let cool. Store in a tightly covered jar for up to 3 weeks.