Double-chocolate gingersnaps

There's been a lot of baking going on here. A lot. In addition to the amazing cookies featured above, we've indulged in an outrageous chocolate mousse, a divine pumpkin-ginger cheesecake, and more cookies than I can possibly mention.

Here are some of the highlights, as well as the recipe for the double-chocolate gingersnaps, my personal favorite:

A tower of gingerbread.

The mound of 73% cacao that went into the mousse.

Baking, and decorating, with friends.

Sneaking sprinkles when she thinks Mama isn't looking!

My dessert plate a few nights ago, featuring pumpkin-ginger cheesecake, a chocolate gingersnap, and two kinds of Julie's frozen yogurt (I love that stuff!).

Chewy Chocolate-Gingerbread Cookies (adapted from a 1997 Martha Stewart Living recipe)

(makes about 2 dozen)

7 oz semisweet chocolate chips

1.5 cups flour

1.25 t. ground ginger

1 t. cinnamon

.25 t each cloves and nutmeg

1 T. cocoa powder

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 T freshly grated ginger (optional)

.5 c. dark brown sugar, packed

.25 c. unsulphered molasses

1 t. baking soda

1.5 t boiling water

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, mix together flour, spices, and cocoa.

Use an electric mixer to beat butter and grated ginger. Add brown sugar and molasses and beat until combined.

In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in boiling water.

Beat half the flour mixture into butter mixture. Beat in baking soda mixture, then add remaining half of flour mixture.

Add in chocolate chips.

Roll dough into 1.5" balls and place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake 13-15 minutes. (13 will make a chewy cookie; 15 gets into crunch cookie territory).