Hey hey hey!  So I know that you all loved my recipe for vanilla cake and vanilla buttercream.  I took them to The Queens Kickshaw where I know they were appreciated, I ate a couple, and I know some of you went home and made this too.  This warms my heart to see such love being spread through baking, and gets me excited to, because I am working on Single Girl Cookies book!  Totally my own things, independent and not sold in any way, but it’s something I’ve been wanting to do for a few years now. I believe i mentioned it before, then got sidetracked with life.  A collection of anecdotes, things I’ve learned along the way, and of course – RECIPES!

Today I want to share with you a really unique recipe that a friend sent to me from the New York Times for gingersnaps, but gingersnaps that call for bacon fat instead of any other fat such as butter or shortening.  Based on a traditional Swedish recipe, these do remind me of Christmas, not only for the ginger part ala gingerbread men, but for the fact that the only time i eat bacon anymore is when I’m home with my family and we are all gathered for breakfast, like at Christmas.  In fact the bacon fat I used for this very batch came from the last time i was home and my mom cooked pounds and pounds of bacon for all of us.  The very first time I made these, I cooked pounds and pounds of bacon and probably ate a pound in the process.  Needless to say, I was a little sick and my apartment smelled like bacon for a week. That being said, these cookies were worth it.

Bacon Fat Gingersnaps

3/4 cup bacon fat (It took me 2 lbs to get a full 3/4 cup)

1 cup sugar, plus extra for dusting

1/4 cup molasses

1 egg

2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 tsps baking soda (I might try less next time, like 1 1/2 tsps)

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Mix all ingredients together, cover and put in fridge to chill for a few hours.  I left mine in all day while I was teaching voice lessons.

When you’re ready to bake, preheat oven to 350.  While that is preheating, take the dough and roll into tablespoon size chunks.  Put your extra sugar in a small bowl and roll your doughballs around in there until covered.  Put them on your cookies sheet approximately 2 inches apart.  The original recipe calls for parchment paper or a Silpat or something – I’ve never used anything and never had a problem. You can now choose to flatten them for a flatter, crispier cookie or leave them as balls (like I did this time) which resulted in a thicker, chewier cookie.  Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes.

I like to dust mine with sugar (again) when I am finished, they just look so pretty that way.  Now share them with friends and neighbors and enjoy the love!

Original recipe courtesy of the New York Times here.