Monday, May 16, 2016

Ginger Molasses Giant Cookies


Two weeks ago I turned in a manuscript to my editor and since then, it seems like we've been taking a lot of little road trips. Now, to be clear, I do mean little. An hour car ride to the dentist, and then an hour back. An hour car ride to the eye doctor, and then an hour back. Add in waiting time and it takes half a day.

No big deal unless one of the people involved has low blood sugar and has to nibble on food every couple of hours. I've discovered that these little trips go much better if I bake some cookies to take along.

In my search for cookies, I happened upon a recipe by Bridget Oland






Ginger Molasses Cookies

Makes 18 giant cookies

2 1/2 cups flour, spooned in
2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/16 teaspoon turmeric (optional)
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar, plus 1/3 cup for rolling in
1 large egg, room temperature
6 tablespoons molasses (1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp.)

Combine flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, allspice, and turmeric in a bowl. Cream the butter with the light-brown sugar and the 1/2 cup of sugar. Beat in the egg. Beat in the molasses. Slowly stir in the flour mixture.

Shape the dough into a flat round and wrap with waxed paper. Freeze for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place 1/3 cup sugar in a small bowl. Locate a glass or bowl with a flat bottom for pressing the cookies flat.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator, and shape into large balls. It makes 18 giant cookies. Roll each ball in the sugar and place on the cookie sheet 4 inches apart, about 6 at a time if making giant cookies. Hold a piece of waxed paper over the bottom of a glass or bowl and press each cookie flat. Sprinkle the tops with an additional pinch of sugar.

Bake 12-14 minutes for large cookies or 10-12 minutes for medium ones. Remove to a rack to cool.

Mix flour and spices.

Cream butter with sugar, add eggs and molasses.
Smush the cookies and sprinkle with sugar
Wrap up and hit the road or go on a picnic!

21 comments:

  1. Looking forward to reading! Thanks for the recipe! Love ginger cookies!

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    1. Dee, these are loaded with molasses, too!

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  2. My favorite cookies! I bought 2 the other day at my favorite bakery and they had little pieces of candied ginger in them. Wouldn't that be tasty? Perfect while reading the new DIVA!

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    1. What great ideas! Love the pieces of candied ginger and the reading of the new book. : )

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  3. These look gorgeous. And I can just hear people saying, "but I ate only one cookie!" Love the turmeric idea--do you use it only for color, or does it add flavor too? (I find I'm putting cumin in more and more savory dishes these days.)

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    1. Sheila, the molasses is so dominant in flavor and color in these cookies that the turmeric disappears. However, I've been adding a little when I make white rice and it comes out looking like saffron is in it!

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  4. These look yummy. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

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  5. Flour comes in varying degrees of packed-ness. One cup straight out of one bag can be very a different amount than one from another bag. By spooning the flour into the measuring cup you are fluffing it a bit. The most dependable way is to weigh flours.

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    1. That was my concern, Libby. It didn't seem a reliable way to measure it. But it worked out!

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  6. These cookies look amazing! I agree with Roberta, adding in some bits of candied ginger would make them absolutely tasty!

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    1. Kim, it would make them a little more sophisticated.

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  7. I really like little ginger snaps, so I'm sure I'll love their giant cousins - thanks, Krista! These will be perfect with a cup of tea and a cozy mystery! :-)

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    1. Nicole, they are very heavy in the molasses. But perfect with tea and a mystery! Or at the doctor's office when you have to wait!

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  8. These look gorgeous! I wish I had one for after lunch! I make dog cookies for Reg that require smooshing with a glass. I never thought of the waxed paper idea. I suppose you could elastic band it to the glass. Or, lay a sheet of waxed paper over the whole cookie sheet. I'm sure these would revive anyone suffering low blood sugar! Always good to follow up with a bit of protein too to stabilize.

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    1. Peg, not only do they have sugar, but all that molasses is a great way to sneak a hefty dose of iron into cookies.

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  9. I love ginger molasses cookies, and there was a cookie shop I used to go to that would serve 2 large ginger molasses cookies with buttercream frosting in the middle--they were awesome!

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    1. Oh-my-goodness. That sounds too delicious! Now I want to try that!!!

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  10. Sounds like one of my favorites that my grandmother used to make. And, fortunately, not many of the other cousins loved them like I did!

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