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Holiday Cookie Season & My All Time Fave Cookie ~ Ginger Molasses

Holiday Cookie Season is here!

I know.. we all have a zillion cookies recipes forced on us every holiday season and I had vowed never to to do so but.. two things happened last week that made me change my mind.

First, I saw that my friend Lora over at CakeDutchess.com was doing a #cookielove link up and I couldn’t resist. Lora has a heart as sweet as the desserts she makes and as big as the entire holiday season — I mean, who wouldn’t want to join her holiday cheer cookie love?

Adding to my holiday cookie love, I attended the 2nd Anuual NYCookieSwap this past Sunday. Last year’s event brought 20 of us together but this year, the party grew to 70+! Hosted by the amazing team of Gail, Maggy, Ken and Jackie, this year’s event took place at Hill Country in NYC (AMAZING FOOD – go there asap) courtesy of the smart and talented Elizabeth Carmel and was a fundraising event for Cookies for Kids Cancers. Let’s see.. Amazing cause, incredible cookies, yummy BBQ and a room full of food loving folk. That’s my kind of party. It was so great to meet and chat with old friends as well as many new ones, too. For more round ups and pix of the #NYCookieSwap check out these posts: justcooknyc.com threemanycooks.com  jackiegordon.com HungryRabbitNYC

Oh and the icing on the cake.. I won a brand new Gorgeous 7 quart KitchenAid mixer – Thank you KitchenAidUSA ! My trusted KitchenAid stand mixer has 25 + years on it (it even has the “Hobart” label on it) and she’s slowing down so I’m delighted to be welcoming a new, improved and bigger KitchenAid “gal” into my kitchen! As soon as the new baby comes, I’ll do a post to introduce you to both of my girls.

Here’s a pic of the cookies I brought to the #NYCookieSwap.

Caramel Macadamia- Coconut Shortbread.

The recipe is in my upcoming book so I can’t share now but will do so as soon as possible. Promise.

Back to the cookie du jour… Sparkling Ginger Molasses. That’s them up above on the cookie sheet.

This recipe is one that I’ve been making for years and it even graced the cover of the first, hardcover edition of my book The Weekend Baker.  The flavor is astonishingly good – big, bold double ginger (my fave) – and the texture is perfect- slightly crispy on the outside with a soft, chewy middle. My son Alex and my brother Tim both claim these sparkly gems as their seasonal fave and I sure hope you like ’em too.

I’ll let you in on a few tips..

1. I’ve been known to triple this recipe. You can to as long as your stand mixer is big enough.

2. I’ve also been know to shape the dough into balls, roll ’em in sugar and freeze ’em until I need ’em. This cuts down on time if I’m making  many batches say, for my gal pal’s local cookie exchange.

3. You can swap in the same amount of unsalted butter for the shortening – the texture will change slightly but they ‘ll still be delicious.

4. Unless you like a crisper cookie, resist the urge to over- bake ’em.

5. The flavor improves and develops after baking, making the gems a great make ahead cookie.

Lastly, this cookie has great #BakeTogether options! Feel free to play around with the recipe and post #baketogether style. Check HERE if you want some info on #Baketogether or drop me a line and I’ll fill you in.

Wishing you all a very happy and healthy HOliday Season – Cheers!

Abby


 

Sparkling Double Ginger Molasses Cookies
Makes 3 dozen cookies.

2 1/4 cups (10 ounces) all purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon table salt
8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup solid shortening
1 2/3 cups (11 5/8 ounces) granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/4 cup molasses ( I use Grandma’s unsulphured)
1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger

Heat the oven to 350°F. Have ready 3 baking sheets lined with parchment or silpat liners. Put 2/3 cup (4 5/8 ounces) sugar in a small bowl and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt until well blended.

In another large bowl, beat the butter, shortening and 1 cup (7 ounces) of the sugar with an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until well combined, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and molasses and beat on medium speed until well blended. Add the dry ingredients and the crystallized ginger and mix on low speed until just blended.

Using a mini scoop, shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in the remaining sugar and set 2-inches apart on parchment lined baking sheets.

Bake, one sheet at a time, until the cookies are puffed and lightly browned around the edges, 12 to 14 minutes. Move the sheet to a cooling rack and let the cookies sit for 5 minutes before transferring them to another rack to cool completely.[/print_this]

 

 

 

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  • Jackie Gordon Singing Chef
    December 6, 2011 at 5:36 pm

    ABBY!!! My mouth lit up with joy when we shared your Macadamia caramel cookie (yes three of us!) the other night after the swap.

    So freaking delicious! The caramel was exactly the one of my dreams. PERFECTION PERSONIFIED. We cut it with a razor blade and didn’t my boyfriend shoved the lion’s share in his mouth when my SIL and I were not looking…

    I made some like it last year with shortbread, a layer of 65% chocolate ganache, caramel and spiced pecans. Loved the macadamias — my grandma’s favorite nut. If she were still alive, I’d make them for her and she’d go NUTS!

    Thanks for coming to the swap. I was too sad that you couldn’t come and hang with us after. I hope you’re planning on staying in town for IACP so we can all hang out!
    XXXOOOOXXX

    • Abby Dodge
      December 6, 2011 at 5:45 pm

      This year’s cookie swap was fab — thanks for all your organization!! Macs are my fave nut too – love em all year round but esp are the holidays.. so festive!

  • Lora @cakeduchess
    December 6, 2011 at 7:03 pm

    Thank you for your kind words. You made my day. really. I’m just giggling at Jackie’s comment…how wonderful you were all together for the cookie swap! Your ginger cookies are just gorgeous:) I’m so excited to see the recipe in your new book for the Caramel-Macademia Coconut Shortbread. Thank you for linking up to #cookielove !! xoxo

    • Abby Dodge
      December 7, 2011 at 9:41 am

      Lora.. we really have to drag you up here to NYC soon. What a party we’d have!

  • Elizabeth @Mango_Queen
    December 6, 2011 at 9:22 pm

    Abby, what a great writeup! Thanks for inspiring us with this & for those delicious cookie bars you brought. It was enjoyable to sit next to you at the table and listen to your stories about food, baking and your books. Happy Holidays & Congratulations for winning the Kitchen Aid!

    • Abby Dodge
      December 7, 2011 at 9:40 am

      It was great to chat with you over lunch. I can’t wait to hear about your trip!

  • Paula
    December 6, 2011 at 9:24 pm

    Chewy Ginger cookies are one of my all time favourites and yours look amazing. If I thought I was anxious for your new book to come out when I saw that the Caramel Macadamia Coconut Shortbread recipe was going to be in it, after reading Jackie’s comment…I can’t wait!

  • juniakk @ mis pensamientos
    December 7, 2011 at 9:22 am

    Abby, thanks for posting this wonderful holiday cookie to our #cookielove bloghop. unfortunately, it is only for cookie recipe posts for the month of december 2011. please feel free to link up a new one for this month though! 🙂

    • Abby Dodge
      December 7, 2011 at 9:39 am

      I’m confused.. I just posted this ginger cookie recipe yesterday.. 12/2011, right?

      • Junia @ Mis Pensamientos
        December 7, 2011 at 10:20 pm

        hi abby! so glad that the confusion was cleared up! sorry, i saw the date posted for november earlier, didn’t mean to delete your post prematurely. forgive me!

        welcome (again) to our #cookielove bloghop! so happy to have you in our lovebloghop party. 🙂 any cookie that is an all time favorite is bookmarked for me. these look yummy!

  • Margaret
    December 7, 2011 at 11:52 am

    Hi Abby, it was great seeing you at the cookie swap, but disappointed that by the time I got to your cookies they were all gone so I am disappointed I didn’t get a chance to taste your Macadamia Caramel cookie that everyone was raving about. Congratulations once again for winning the stand mixer. I’m sure you can’t wait to get your hands on it. Happy Holidays!

    • Abby Dodge
      December 7, 2011 at 1:50 pm

      Still thinking about your salty cornmeal cookie, Margaret!

  • susie middleton
    December 7, 2011 at 4:22 pm

    Abby, this is one of my all-time favorite cookies, along with your chocolate crackles with orange (just made them from recipe on finecooking.com) and also your pecan butter cookies from kids book…saw a cute pic of you at the candy swap. You look great–Miss you and love from Martha’s Vineyard! Susie

    • Abby Dodge
      December 7, 2011 at 5:49 pm

      Thanks Susie.. I know you are a fan of these cookies — wish we were close enough to share a batch over tea. Been too long! Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!

  • Jamie
    December 8, 2011 at 4:41 am

    Oooh I want to taste the Macadamia caramel cookies!!! Gorgeous! And love these ginger molasses cookies! I have two similar recipes, one for chewy and one for crispy cookies, and I think they make the best holiday treats, so winter and Christmas perfect. Now I must try yours!!!

  • Joyce Pinson
    December 8, 2011 at 3:37 pm

    Just popped in to see what you were up to. Laughed because I just put up a post on sorghum cookies a few days back. Sorghum is similiar to molasses. It is an Appalachian pantry staple. Here’s my take
    http://www.friendsdriftinn.com/recipes/sorghum-sugar-cookie-recipe.html

  • Cookbooks I Love: The Weekend Baker :: Pork Cracklins
    December 12, 2011 at 1:40 pm

    […] Ginger Molasses Cookies: In my hunt for the perfect ginger molasses cookie, this is the one that has come the closest to my ideal. […]

  • Jen @ My Kitchen Addiction
    December 12, 2011 at 11:04 pm

    Molasses crinkles are one of my all time favorite cookies. I just made some for the Food Blogger Cookie Swap from my grandmother’s antique cookbook (circa 1950!) and posted them on Sunday. Can’t wait to try your version, as well.. They look spectacular!

  • Winnie
    December 15, 2011 at 8:14 am

    So bummed I did not get any of your gorgeous shortbread! Love the molasses ginger cookies…I might have to make these giant. And only with butter 🙂

  • a spoonful of yumm
    December 23, 2011 at 9:54 am

    love the cracks on the cookie ! they look delicious. i do enjoy ginger cookies once in a while. merry christmas 🙂

  • Liz
    December 26, 2011 at 7:36 am

    This is the same recipe I’ve been using for years (spiced up slightly differently) except for the 1/4 cup of shortening instead of butter. Mine have been so flat recently, I will try adding some shortening next time! Thanks for the idea!

    • Abby Dodge
      December 26, 2011 at 3:05 pm

      Hi Liz, Thanks for the comment. To remedy your thin cookies, you could also try shaping and popping in the frig to give the flour a chance to absorb some of the liquid.

  • Kristina
    January 1, 2012 at 4:21 pm

    Hi Abby, my aunt just bought me your cookbook, The Weekend Baker and I have almost every page covered in post-it notes of recipes I want to try! Next on the list was your ginger molasses cookies you have posted here, ginger cookies are one of my favorites.

    I have a question about your chocolate chip brownie double deckers. I’ve made them a couple times now and I keep having problems trying to get the cookie layer on top to cook correctly. The outside gets really crispy but the inside is under baked. The flavor is so good I just want to be able to get the texture right! Do you know I can fix this?

    Thanks!

    • Abby Dodge
      January 1, 2012 at 5:26 pm

      HI Kristina, Happy New Year and thanks for writing! You mentioned the outside gets crispy? This leads me to believe that your oven temperature might be running a little hot. I’d suggest you get a mercury filled thermometer (I prefer them to the spring-loaded variety), set it in the center of the oven and heat to 350°F. Give it at least 15 minutes to fully come up to temperature and then check your thermometer. If it reads higher, adjust your dials accordingly to get the proper temp. Helpful??

      • Kristina
        January 2, 2012 at 10:17 am

        Yes, very helpful! Thanks so much! I’ve had that same problem with some breads I’ve made too, I’m going to give it a try today. Looking forward to having an oven that bakes at the right temperature!

        Hope you had a great New Years too!