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To McGill - in your recipe, you state "beat well after each addition". This might be where your mistake is - overbeating. Like muffins, cookie dough should be mixed just until combined. And always check your cookies BEFORE time indicated as oven temperatures vary from oven to oven. Cooking times and temperatures are merely GUIDELINES and you should check your cookies a few minutes before the stated time, but do not keep oven door open too long or you lose all the heat.

Here's two recipes that I have for ginger snaps. They make a lot!


STONE JAR GINGER COOKIES

3/4 cup shortening
1-1/2 cups molasses
5 Tbsp boiling water
4 cups cake flour
2 tsp soda
1/4 tsp salt
1-1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon


Cream shortening, add molasses and water and blend. sift dry ingredients and add to mixture. The resulting dough is very soft and must be chilled overnight. Roll out 1/8 inch thick on a well-floured pastry cloth. Use any shape cutter. Bake at 375 F 12 minutes. Makes 144 cookies 2-inch diameter.


GINGERSNAPS

1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup hot coffee
2/3 cup molasses
5 cups cake flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp soda
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp cinnamon


Cream shortening and sugar thoroughly. Add hot coffee to molasses and add to creamed mixture. Sift dry ingredients together. Add gradually to liquid mixture. Chill thoroughly. Roll out on a pastry cloth 1/8 inch thick, cut out and bake in moderate oven (350 F) 17 minutes. Makes 14 dozen 2-inch cookies.