Crunchy Ginger Snap Cookies
2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 oz.) unbleached all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons Hawaj coffee spice
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/16 teaspoon or pinch cayenne pepper
1 1/4 cups packed (8 3/4 oz.) dark brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 large egg, room temperature
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Whisk flour, baking soda and salt together in a bowl; set aside
Melt butter in 10 inch skillet over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook, swirling skillet frequently until butter is just beginning to brown, 2-4 minutes. Transfer browned butter to large bowl and whisk in Hawaj, pepper and cayenne. Let cool slightly, about 2 minutes.
Whisk brown sugar and molasses into butter mixture until combined. Whisk in egg and yolk until combined. Stir in flour mixture until just combined. If mixture seems dry, mix with your hands it will help the dough stick together. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until dough is firm about 1 hour.
Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spread granulated sugar in shallow dish.
Divide dough into heaping teaspoon portions. With dampened hands roll into 1 inch balls and roll into sugar to coat. Space cookies evenly on prepared sheet, about 20 per sheet.
Place 1 and only 1 baking sheet in the oven on upper rack, bake for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, rotate cookie sheet and move to lower rack, now you can place the second sheet on the upper rack and bake both for 10-12 minutes. When time is up remove cookies from lower rack from oven, take baking sheet from the upper rack rotate and move to lower rack and continue baking for 15 minutes. Repeat with any remaining dough balls.
When cookies are removed from the oven slide baked cookies, still on parchment to wire cooling rack. Cool completely before serving.