Chewy, cinnamon-laced, with hints of ginger and cloves, this is the only gingerbread cookie recipe you will ever need. And plain cookies would be enough; but I nestled candy cane-flavored kisses right in the middle. The candy melts ever so slightly as the cookies bake and it's magical. Like the first gift of the season. Another gift? There's 1 gram of fat per cookie. 

Yes, gingerbread people are cute. And that was my original intention with this recipe. But then I got to thinking (as you know I'm apt to do): Cutting out shapes is fun for the first 15 minutes or so, and then it's cumbersome. The goal isn't an army of cookie people; the true payoff is a container full of delicious, ginger-scented, chewy-crisp cookies with equal parts sweet and spice. Am I right?

I'm gonna go with the answer "Yes, you are right Robin.". Which brings me to the recipe below.

These gingerbread cookies will blow you away. First, because they're chewy, sweet and "spicy" in all the right places. Plus, you need just 3 tablespoons of butter for the WHOLE batch. Do the math and that means there's less than 1 gram of fat per cookie. That's without the adorable Hershey's kisses, but they add a negligible amount of fat (6 kisses have 140 calories and 8 grams of fat - and there's only one kiss per cookie).

So, I can't emphasize this enough:

1. You need to try this recipe.

2. You need to share these cookies with friends and family.

3. I think we can change the world; one cookie at a time.

4. Number 3 was too much. Just make the cookies.

If you want to prep ahead: You can prepare the gingerbread cookie dough, wrap it in plastic and refrigerate for up to 3 days before shaping into cookies and baking.

The Ultimate Gingerbread Cookie

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup dark corn syrup or molasses

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

24 Hershey's kisses candy cane mint kisses, or any smallcandy of choice

Instructions: 

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, cloves, and salt. Mix well and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter, brown sugar, dark corn syrup (or molasses), egg, and vanilla until well blended. Gradually beat in the flour mixture until just blended. Transfer the dough to a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a disc.

Wrap the dough with the plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour (and up to 3 days).

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a large baking sheet (or two) with parchment paper.

Working with about 1 tablespoon of dough at a time, roll the dough into balls, making about 24 cookies. Press your thumb into each ball, making a slight impression. Transfer the cookies to the prepared pan(s) and press the candy kisses into the indent in the center of each cookie.

Bake for 7 to 8 minutes, until the cookies are no longer sticky to the touch.

Cool the cookies on the pan, on a wire rack. 

Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. 

Makes 24 cookies