Well, that nice weather we had a week ago was nice while it lasted but as soon as it left, the cold weather brought me a nasty cold of my own. I have a Kleenex box on my right and a pile of used Kleenex’s on my left. This weekend has been spent either working or just trying to survive and get better before another work week rolls around all too quickly. We can’t win them all, right?

But you know what I do have that has been making this bout of sickness a little bit better? My husband, yes, who has graciously been stocking me up with more Kleenex’s and helping out however he can (bless him), but also these amazing Chocolate-Dipped Gingersnaps!

I made these right before I got sick, but they’re so simple to put together that I could have easily made them in my drowsy/half-alert sick self, too. With store bought gingersnaps, they hardly feel like a recipe, but it’s amazing what a little chocolate and chopped toppings can do to a store bought cookie. These totally can impress any last minute guests you may have stopping by.

I recently had one of my adult cooking classes make these (because, yes, I’m the dietitian that has her cooking classes finish off their class with a dessert. We all need a little sweetness in our life, right?) and after we made them I knew I needed to recreate the recipe at home for my ginger-loving husband. These cookies have double the zing and spice from the gingersnap cookies and the crystallized ginger that’s sprinkled on top. It’s all balanced out nicely, though, with the sweetness from the dark chocolate and the chopped cranberries that garnish the tops with the ginger. The pairing is definitely what takes these cookies over the top.

Since February is Heart Healthy Month (it’s still February, folks! I made it just in time!), the cooking class was highlighting heart-healthy foods, which thankfully includes dark chocolate. The darker the chocolate the better, but I used 60% bittersweet chocolate chips for these cookies. If you find chocolate bars that are are a higher percentage, all the better!

If you’re making these in February, they’re a great little treat for future Valentine’s Day celebrations, too, but I think any holiday or special day that needs celebrating would be the perfect excuse to make these decadent looking cookies. Enjoy!

Chocolate-Dipped Gingersnaps

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 8 small gingersnaps
• ⅓ cup 60% bittersweet chocolate chips
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped crystallized ginger
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped dried cranberries

Directions:

1. Pour chocolate chips into microwave-safe bowl and melt on HIGH for 30 seconds. Stir chocolate and place back in microwave for 15-second increments until completely melted.
2. Dip gingersnaps into melted chocolate so half of the gingersnap is covered in chocolate. Let the excess drip off. Place on wax paper.
3. Sprinkle the gingersnaps with the crystallized ginger and cranberries before the chocolate hardens. Place in refrigerator for 15–30 minutes to fully harden the chocolate or let the chocolate harden at room temperature for ~1 hour.

Adapted from: Eating Well