Tuesday, November 17, 2009

TWD: Sugar Topped Molasses Spice Cookies

Hey! I'm in synch this week! This week's cookies were amazing. They were perfect for fall.

I was a bit skeptical at first. I have an absolute favorite gingersnap recipe (the one that everyone asks for). I already had a recipe for this kind of cookie, so why do I need another? I'll tell you why. Though this has ginger in it, it's not the focus. The molasses was really the star. This also had a secret ingredient that really added to the spiciness of the cookie.

This one was easy to put together. Dry ingredients in one bowl. Wet stuff in the mixer. Combine. Refrigerate. I've learned with a cookie like this to leave it overnight before baking. Better flavor. Plus, the dough was much easier to work with when it was cold. Getting back to those dry ingredients -- here's where the secret flavor came in. In addition to the ginger and cinnamon, Dorie had us add black pepper. It really added to the final cookie! I was hesitant, but I'm glad I added it.

According to the recipe, this makes 24 cookies. I have to add that it makes 24 HUGE cookies. I made mine a bit smaller, and they were still big! I think I got 48 cookies. Dorie cautioned us that they would spread like crazy. She was absolutely right. The dough balls were to be rolled in sugar and then flattened on the cookie sheet. I did a little sugar experiment. I rolled some in demerara sugar and some in sparkling sugar. Truthfully, in the end, we couldn't tell a difference.

Only eight to a cookie sheet. They got big! I should have taken an "after" photo for comparison.

You can see a bit of the sparkling sugar on the outside. They were thin, dark, and delicious.

Same cookies but showcased on a fall plate that the girl made.

Everyone who tried one of these cookies loved them. They were very thin and crispy with just a bit of chew in the center. If you can get them to last, they get better with age. The flavors blend and mellow and really stand out. On Saturday I made a maple pumpkin filling to go in some pecan cookie tart shells. It also went fabulously well spread out on one of these cookies.

Thank you to Pamela of Cookies With Boys for broadening my horizons.

17 comments:

Jessica said...

I bet these cookies were so very good with the pumpkin pie filling! They look like perfect cookie jar cookies. I love gingersnaps, have you shared your recipe on your blog before? Or is it a secret recipe? :)

Amanda said...

They look wonderful! I made those last week and loved them :) I made the cran apple crisp this week, so good!

Megan said...

I agree with you about leaving cookie dough overnight - I do that with just about every recipe, whether it calls for it or not. I loved these cookies, and I think they look even better on the plate your daughter made.

chocolatechic said...

They were good, weren't they?

I made the bundt cake for this week.

Amanda said...

Hey I just noticed you are in Northbrook! Me and a couple other food bloggers are going to the Pioneer Woman book signing at Barnes & Noble in Skokie. Jeez that's right near you! Care to join us??

Anonymous said...

I think next time I will try leaving the dough in the fridge. Great tip!

Flourchild said...

Oh good you liked them too! I put some in the freezer and take them out when I want one!

betty geek said...

So glad you liked them because I did, too. I think I will make some more tonight! :)

Your cookies look perfect! Milk, please.

Karen (Shortbread) said...

I thought these were really great, and liked them with ice cream a lot! Your pumpkin filling sounds awesome, too.

Tammy said...

I loved these, but after a molasses disaster re-made them using golden syrup. yours look delicious

Romaine said...

I wanted mine to be like yours. Crispy with a touch of chew. Excellent!

Leslie said...

Great looking cookies! I was surprised how good these were.

Anonymous said...

The pumpkin filling sounds like it would be great with these. Glad that there is room in your life for more than one ginger cookie recipe!

Unknown said...

Your cookies look fantastic! I bet the maple pumpkin spread was amazing on them. Loved, loved, loved this recipe--a real hit over here!

Jacque said...

Oooh, yours look delish and make me wish I had another batch to munch on. We really enjoyed these too. I think lots of folks left out the pepper, but I didn't and I'm glad too. It made for such an interesting effect.

Your all occasion holiday bundt looks good too.

Pamela said...

Yeah! I'm so glad you liked the cookies. I just finished making more dough so I could make smaller cookies. Loved them. Thanks for baking with me.

April said...

I loved these too, easy peasey and so good. Yours look great!