Ginger & Spice Cookies

These ginger cookies hit the sweet spot between snickerdoodle and gingersnap: warm enough to taste like the holidays without veering into Christmas-only territory. The spice trio of ginger, cinnamon, and allspice gives them a layered warmth, and the molasses brings that dark, slightly bitter caramel note that store-bought spice cookies always miss.

Using only egg whites instead of whole eggs is the move that keeps these cookies chewy rather than cakey. Less fat in the egg means a denser, fudgier crumb. Brown sugar carries most of the moisture and gives the cookies their signature crackled tops.

Do not skip the chill. One hour in the fridge firms up the margarine so the rolled balls hold their shape and spread evenly instead of pancaking on the sheet.

Pro Tips

• Pack the brown sugar firmly when measuring. Loose brown sugar throws off both flavor and moisture and can leave the cookies dry.
• Whip the egg white before adding it. The aeration helps lighten the dense brown-sugar batter.
• Watch them closely at the 12-minute mark. Spice cookies go from perfectly golden to overbaked in about 90 seconds.
• Let them rest on the hot baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring. They finish setting from residual heat and won’t break apart.

Variations

• Roll the dough balls in coarse sugar before baking for a sparkling, gingersnap-style crust.
• Add ½ cup of finely chopped crystallized ginger for an extra punch of heat.
• Swap a teaspoon of cinnamon for ground cardamom for a Scandinavian-leaning twist.