Soft & Spicey Ginger Cookies

Money Saving Tips: Since this cookie relies on oil instead of butter, it's one of the most economical you can make. This is my first pick whenever I have to make enormous amounts of cookies for bake sales, church parties, Italian family gatherings or other crowded events. If you don't have sour cream, use yogurt.
Spicy and Soft Ginger Cookies

$2.00 for 40 cookies
1/2 cup canola oil (or vegetable oil)
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
1/2 to 1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour (I used half whole wheat)
cinnamon sugar for rolling the cookies (about 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, cream together the oil, sour cream, sugar, and molasses. Stir in the egg. Add pepper, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and soda. Stir in flour. The dough will be soft and only slightly sticky. Form dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in cinnamon sugar and place on cookie sheets about two inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until cookies are spread and beginning to look crackly. For softer cookies, underbake slightly and for crispier ones, let them go a minute or two longer. Let cool on cookie sheets for two minutes. Transfer to rack.
****These sturdy cookies are great for packaging and mailing.

Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

Makes 2 dozen
7 ounces best-quality semisweet chocolate
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 cocoa powder
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
Line two baking sheets with parchment. Chop chocolate into 1/4-inch chunks; set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cocoa.
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.
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; turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Pat dough out to about 1 inch thick; seal with wrap; refrigerate until firm, 2 hours or more.
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Roll dough into 1 1/2- inch balls; place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Roll in granulated sugar. Bake until the surfaces crack slightly, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.