"These cookies are *amazing* - spicy and not too sweet, fragrant and complex, with a fanstastic texture. I couldn't put them down! My only complaint was that they weren't as puffy as I expected - but who cares when it tastes this great!

Yes, the spices can be expensive, but they can be found in most major supermarkets. The rose water is a bit tricker - it's usually available from Middle Eastern grocery stores or, in a pinch, from some Middle Eastern restaurants. And if these spices are new to you, experiment with Middle Eastern or Indian recipes which also use these spices.

I recommend against cutting back the crystallized ginger, because once baked, the strong initial flavor really mellows out. I would, however, recommend keeping the dough cold throughout the rolling-in-sugar and waiting-on-batches-to-bake process to avoid it sticking to the plate and starting to absorb the turbinado sugar "crust." After making a batch, you may also want to increase the spices/rose water.