Chewy Ginger Cookies

I love a great ginger cookie at the holidays, especially when they are slightly crisp on the outsides, but chewy and soft on the inside. I adapted this recipe from http://www.ouichefnetwork.com, where you can find amazing recipes for capuccino brownies, raspberry linzers, and chocolate thumbprint cookies. But these chewy gingers caught my eye so quickly, that I made them about 3 minutes after I saw the recipe. So without further delay; I present to you.....

Chewy Ginger Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup robust molasses
• 2 tsp. freshly grated ginger
• 1 cup raw or sanding sugar

Arrange oven rack on the lower and upper thirds of the oven. Preheat to 350 degreef F. Line 2 baking sheets with wax paper.

Whisk flour, ground ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl.

Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat brown sugar, shortening, and butter in a large bowl, scraping down sides halfway through, beating untol light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. 

Reduce mixer speed to low and add egg, molasses, grated ginger, and vanilla. Beat just to blend. Slowly add in flour mixture until just blended. 

Place sanding sugar in a shallow bowl. Using a spoon, measure out dough (about 1 tbsp.), scoop dough out using another spoon onto the sanding sugar, turn to coat well.

Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. repeat with the remaining dough, keeping cookies about 1 1/2" apart.

Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are firm and the centers appear cracked, 10-12 minutes. Let cool and serve.