Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Spicy Ginger Cookies


I keep seeing this 12 days of cookies thing on people's blogs, and wishing I was in on it! I love cookies! Well, I didn't post a cookie yesterday, but I have one for you today. A delicious, spicy, gingery, soft, chewy, wonderful-for-the-holidays cookie.

It was supposed to be a triple-ginger cookie, but after getting half-way through the dough, I realized I was out of fresh ginger. So, I changed my game-plan, added extra powdered ginger and some fresh ground pepper, and made these little beauties. They have a great ginger/pepper kick, and a subtle molasses flavor. They are quite addictive. While I don't love them quite as much as the Chewy Molasses Spice cookies from a week or so ago, I do love them. I will be making them again.

These cookies are firm on the outside and soft on the inside, with little chewy surprises studded throughout in the form of crystalized ginger. They are sturdy cookies, and are a perfect candidate for shipping. They are also great for a holiday spread if you choose to keep them for yourself. Which you may once you taste them.

If you like ginger, these are the cookies for you.


Spicy Ginger Cookies

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter
1/4 cup molasses (not blackstrap)
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg, beaten
4 oz (about 2/3 cup) crystalized ginger, then minced


Preheat oven to 350. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine flours, ground ginger, pepper, salt and baking soda. In a small saucepan, melt butter. When it has cooled a bit, add in molasses and sugar, and stir to combine. With mixer on low, pour in butter mixture. Add egg and mix just until flour disappears. Stir in crystalized ginger. Form dough into balls about 1 1/4" in diameter. Roll them in sugar if you wish. Place balls a couple inches apart on baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake 15-19 minutes, or until cookies have cracked and browned slightly. The cracks will still look wet, that's okay. Place baking sheet on rack to cool completely.

* The original recipe calls for the zest of two lemons, which I think would be fabulous in these, though I didn't have any lemons when I made them. Next time!


7 comments:

  1. What beautiful crackly tops! For some reason I really crave ginger in the winter.

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  2. Haha I wish I was in on all of these cookie groups too! These look delightful! I've seen so many good spice and ginger cookies lately - I know I'll never get a chance to bake them all before Christmas...

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  3. I am planning to have some giveaways for the kids in the neighborhood this Christmas and I am definitely going to include these cookies in there. Thanks.

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  4. Ginger is such a wonderful spice to use in baking. These look delightful! :)

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  5. I love ginger cookies and I love cookies that are chewy inside, so these look fabulous to me. We will have to organize our own cookie week for our blogs!!

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