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Ginger Cookies Recipe
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Ginger Cookies are aptly
named, as they are both ginger colored and ginger flavored. They have a
sugar coated crackly surface, and when you bite into one you will find the
texture soft and chewy with a flavor that is buttery and spicy. Although
this cookie is ideal any time of the year it does seem particularly well
suited to the Fall and Winter seasons when our palates seem to prefer
stronger flavors. The combination of molasses with ground cinnamon, ground
ginger, and cloves gives these cookies a sweet and warm fragrance and flavor
that makes eating one just about impossible.
There are quite a few cookies that belong to the same group as
Ginger Cookies. These include Gingersnap
Cookies, Gingerbread Cookies,
and Molasses Cookies. The ingredients
are quite similar (amounts do vary) for all these cookies and the batters
are prepared in the same way. The batter for Ginger Cookies does need to
be chilled so it can be easily formed into rounds and then rolled in
either granulated white sugar or white sugar crystals. The balls of dough
are then flattened slightly and baked just until firm around the edges yet
the centers of the cookies should still be a little soft. The longer you
bake these cookies the more crisp and crunchy they will be.
Although I think these Ginger Cookies have just the right amount of
ginger flavor, especially for kids, adults may want an extra punch of
ginger. This can be done by adding finely chopped crystallized ginger.
Just add it to the batter along with the flour. And before I forget, keep
in mind that ground spices have a fairly short shelf life so it is best to
buy in small quantities from a bulk food store that has a high turnover.
The added advantage of buying them in bulk form is that they are a lot
cheaper than buying those small glass bottles from your local grocery
store. Make sure to store your spices in a cool dry place, away from heat
(it is not a good idea to store them by the stove).
Finally, there are two types of molasses generally used in baking; light and dark.
While I have used light molasses in this recipe, if you want a cookie with a more robust flavor, try using dark molasses.
Light molasses comes from the first boiling of the sugar syrup and is
lighter in flavor and color than the dark molasses which comes from the
second boiling. Molasses is usually labeled as "sulphured"
or "unsulphured" depending on whether sulphur was used in the processing. I prefer the unsulphured molasses which is lighter in color and tends to have a nicer
flavor. By the way, molasses is used in baked goods, not only for
flavor, but also for color and moistness. It is a good idea to lightly spray
your measuring cup with a nonstick vegetable spray before pouring in the molasses. This
prevents the molasses from sticking to the cup.
The recipe comes from Canadian Susan Mendelson's book The Lazy
Gourmet. Not only does Susan Mendelson write cookbooks, but she also
runs a popular catering company in Vancouver, British Columbia called 'The
Lazy Gourmet'. The other recipe on the site from The Lazy Gourmet
cookbook is these delicious
Chocolate Coconut Macaroons.
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Ginger Cookies: In the bowl of
your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter and sugar until
light and fluffy (about 2 - 3 minutes). Add the molasses, egg
whites,
and vanilla extract and beat until incorporated. In a separate bowl
whisk together the
flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix
until well combined. Cover the batter with plastic wrap and chill in the
refrigerator for about 60 minutes.
Preheat the
oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Line two baking sheets with
parchment paper.
Place about
1 cup (200 grams) of white granulated sugar in a medium sized bowl. When
the dough has chilled sufficiently, roll into 1 inch (2.54 cm) balls. Then
roll the balls of dough into the sugar, coating them thoroughly. Place on
the baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches (5 cm) apart and, with the bottom of a glass,
flatten the cookies slightly. Bake for about 8-10 minutes or until the
cookies are firm but are still a little soft in the centers. (The longer the cookies bake, the more
crisp they will be.) Cool on a wire rack.
Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
Sources:
Mendelson, Susan & Cruz, Joey. The Lazy Gourmet.
Whitecap Books. Vancouver/Toronto: 2000. |
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Ginger
Cookies:
1 cup (226 grams) unsalted
butter, room temperature
1 cup (210 grams) light brown
sugar
1/4 cup (60 ml) unsulphured molasses
2 large (60 ml) egg whites
1/2 teaspoon pure
vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups (345 grams) all purpose
flour
2 teaspoons
baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Garnish:
1 cup (200 grams)
granulated white sugar or coarse white or brown sugar (for covering the cookie
balls before baking)
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