Eggless Nutritious Gingersnaps

Gingersnaps are a cookie that have a very unique flavor and texture. Other names they are called with are Ginger cookies, Ginger biscuits or Ginger nuts. I was making these cookies and the whole house was filled with the aroma of ginger and it was amazing. I got this recipe from here and it is sure a keeper. This is surely a cookie with which you cannot stop with one. So making it a little more healthier reduces the guilt load… This has very little processed ingredients. Most of the ingredients are unprocessed like whole wheat flour, wheat germ, molasses, brown sugar and hey this is also Vegan…The cracks on these cookies are its signature and looks so perfect that it is hard to go wrong. You can substitute vanilla for cardamom powder and also if you cannot lay your hands on wheat germ, just add more whole wheat flour.











Ingredients
Whole Wheat Flour - 1 cup
All Purpose Flour - 1 cup
Wheat Germ - 1/2 cup
Brown Sugar - 1/2 cup + 2 table spoons
Cardamom Powder - 1/4 tea spoon
Baking Soda - 1 1/2 tea spoons
Nutmeg Powder - 1/2 tea spoon
Cloves Powder - 1/4 tea spoon
Ground Ginger - 4 tea spoons
Cinnamon Powder - 1/2 tea spoon + 1/2 tea spoon
White Sugar - 4 tea spoons
Vegetable Oil - 1/3 cup
Water - 1/3 cup
Unsulphered Molasses - 1/2 cup


Method
Mix 1/2 tea spoon cinnamon powder with white sugar and set aside on a plate
Sieve all the other dry ingredients (both flours, cardamom powder, clove powder, nutmeg powder, cinnamon powder and ground ginger) and set aside
In another bowl, mix all the wet ingredients (vegetable oil, molasses and both sugars) - Yes sugar is considered a wet ingredient in baking. Set aside
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C
Line the cookie sheet with parchment paper
Mix wet and dry well until well incorporated
Apply very little oil in the palm and make smalls of the mixture until smooth and roll them on the plate with the cinnamon sugar until well coated. If it starts to stick, stop, wash your hands, dry well, apply oil and restart
Place the cookies on the cookie sheet leaving gap for it to spread
Press the cookie balls gently with the back of a glass tumbler (that has a straight bottom) to flatten it lightly
Bake them for 12 - 14 minutes. It may look little undercooked, but it is not.
Remove from the oven and let it cool completely in the cookie sheet before handling it
Enjoy!!!!

Points to Note – about Wheat Germ from Wikipedia - Wheat germ is a concentrated source of several essential nutrients including Vitamin E, folate (folic acid), phosphorus, thiamin, zinc and magnesium, as well as essential fatty acids and fatty alcohols.^[8][9] It is a good source of fiber.^[10] White bread is made using flour that has had the germ and bran removed.^[11] Wheat germ can be added to protein shakes, casseroles, muffins, pancakes, cereals, yogurt, smoothies, cookies, and other goods.^[12] Wheat germ can become rancid if not properly stored in a refrigerator or freezer,^[13] and away from sunlight.^[14] Some manufacturers prevent rancidity by storing wheat germ in vacuum sealed glass containers.

Points to Note – about Molasses from www.whfoods.com  - Blackstrap molasses is the thickest form of molasses, the darkest, and the most dense in terms of minerals. Three rounds of heating are the reason for the very dark color of blackstrap molasses, because even though many sugars have been removed from the syrup, the sugars that do remain get caramelized from three rounds of heating. Sometimes you'll only find blackstrap molasses in natural foods stores. Because of the superior mineral content of blackstrap molasses we prefer this version of the product. You'll find significant amounts of calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium and selenium in blackstrap molasses


Sending this to Pari's Show me your Dessert, Vardhini's Bake Fest hosted by Archana this month, Fair Foods Event, International celebration, Jagruti's page,  Srivalli's giveaway,  Birthday Event, Bookmarked Entries - Jacqueline from Tinned Tomatoes as host and mention Ruth from Ruth's Kitchen Experiments as founder of the challenge, Nupur's What's with my cuppa, my own guest hosting event CWF - Whole Wheat Flour, Kiran's page