Tristan’s Favorite: Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

Makes 2 dozen.

Ingredients

• 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 packed dark-brown sugar
• 1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons boiling water 
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Directions

1. 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.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and grated ginger until whitened, about 4 minutes. Add the brown sugar, and beat until combined. Add molasses, and beat until combined.
3. In a small bowl, dissolve the baking soda in boiling water. Beat half of the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Beat in the baking-soda mixture, then the remaining half of the flour mixture. Mix in the choco late, and turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Pat the dough out to about 1 inch thick; seal with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, 2 hours or more.
4. Heat oven to 325. Roll the dough into 17-inch balls, and place, 2 inches apart, on baking sheets. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Roll the balls in granulated sugar. Bake until the surfaces crack slightly, 13 to 15 minutes; let cool 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.