Most days of the year I try very hard to stay on-topic with Words + Images no matter what else is going on in my life.  As Christmas approaches, though, I feel silly being that rigid.  Instead, I'm going to share what I did yesterday: namely, make enough cookie dough for over 120 chocolate gingerbread cookies.  Around 100 of them will be given away during our travels to visit family, and the other 1/5 of the dough is safely hoarded in the freezer for when we get back.  They are some of the most delicious cookies I've ever had.

The recipe that inspired all these cookies?  I found it in the Baltimore Sun.  Since old articles are impossible to find on their site most of the time, I'm going to preserve and share it in its original form.  Enjoy, have a wonderful holiday, and let me know if you try the cookies!

(12/3/2008)
Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

Cara Tana found this recipe years ago in an issue of Martha Stewart Living, and it's been one of her most requested cookies ever since. "They smell wonderful when baking and they have never failed me," she wrote to us. "The best results come from really chopping up the chocolate. Not pulverizing it, per se, but really chopping it up while still retaining some bigger pieces." This makes a very chocolaty, gingery cookie, full of strong flavors.

(Makes 2 dozen)

7 ounces best-quality semisweet chocolate(I used Ghirardelli semi-sweet baking bars)

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 molasses

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup granulated sugar (I used Sugar in the Raw, and I'd highly recommend it)

Line 2 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 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 (I skipped this last fridge step, but I did split the dough up into smaller quantities and keep them in the refrigerator until I needed them so they'd stay firm). 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.