Double Ginger Crackles

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease or line two large baking sheets with either parchment paper or silicon baking pads (e,g,, Silpad). Place 1/2 cup sugar for dipping in an 8-inch cake pan (blend in 1/4 tsp. ground ginger, if desired); set aside. Whisk flour, ground ginger, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and 1 cup sugar together with mixer on mediun-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in egg, molasses and crystallized ginger and beat on medium-low speed until fully incorporated, about 1 minute, scraping bottom and sides of bowl as needed. Add dry ingredients and beat at low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down bowl as needed. Using tablespoon measure or cookie scoop, portion out dough and roll between palms (*see note) into balls about 1-inch in diameter; drop ball into pan with sugar and repeat to form about 4 balls. Shake pan to roll balls in the sugar to coat, then set on prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2-inches apart, in staggered rows of 3-2-3-2-3. Repeat with remaining dough. Bake one sheet at a time (**see note) on center rack of preheated 350 degree F oven until the cookies are puffed and some cracks have formed on top, about 12 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Do not overbake. (The cookies should look slightly underbaked when removed from the oven. They should be soft, but tops should be dry and the surface cracks should look a little wet.) Remove from oven and let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then use wide metal spatula to transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely. If using parchment, slide cookies on parchment onto wire rack to cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Cookies freeze well. Makes about 40 cookies. *Note: If the dough sticks to your palms as you shape the balls, moisten your hands occasionally in a bowl filled with cold water and shake off the excess. **Note: Bake the cookies one sheet at a time. If baked two sheets at a time, the cookies started on the bottom rack won?t develop the traditional cracks.