Making the Ginger Cookie Dough

• Preheat oven to 325°F/165°C
• In the bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix in thoroughly. Add the molasses and vinegar and mix until incorporated.
• In a separate mixing bowl add the dry ingredients. By hand, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, ground cinnamon and ground cloves. When the dry mix is thoroughly combine. Gradually add it to the wet mix with the mixer on the lowest setting.
• Once all the ingredients are mixed, turn out the dough onto a very lightly floured surface and knead the cookie dough until it comes together.
• Roll portions of the dough into (1 oz./28 grams) balls and place the dough on a sheet pan fitted with nonstick parchment paper or Silpat.
• Using your thumb, make a small indentation into the cookie and place a small piece of crystalized ginger in the center. (If the dough falls apart, gently push it back together.) Be sure not to overcrowd the baking sheet.
• Leave about 1½-2" between the cookies since they will spread out when baked. Repeat until the sheet pan is full or all the cookie dough has been used.
• Bake the Gingersnap cookies for about 15 minutes. (Less if you wish softer cookies.) Remove from the oven and cool on a wire cooling rack. Dust them with powdered sugar (optional). Once the cookies are completely cooled, store in an airtight container or Ziplock.