Ginger Cookies (spicy, eggless)
Spicy molasses cookies with a kick from a dose of fresh ginger. They keep well and you can freeze them unbaked and have freshly baked cookies every time you want.
Servings 30 medium
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup unsulphured molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 to 3 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
- 8 ground fresh cardamom pods if you use ground cardamom make sure it's very fresh
- pinch ground white pepper optional
- ½ teaspoon coffee extract optional
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup additional white sugar for rolling cookies, optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat ¾ cup unsalted butter and ¾ cup light brown sugar until creamy, either by hand or with an electric mixer.
- Add ¼ cup unsulphured molasses and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Mix.
- Add 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground allspice, 1 to 3 teaspoons minced fresh ginger, 8 ground fresh cardamom pods (if using ground cardamom, make sure it's very fresh), a pinch ground white pepper (optional) and ½ teaspoon coffee extract (optional) and mix well.
- Sift the dry ingredients: 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda and ¼ teaspoon salt. Add to the butter mixture in 2 or 3 additions. Mix well, but don't overmix (I recommend switching to a spatula). The dough will be shiny but not sticky.
- Slice and bake: take a large piece of plastic wrap, place half of the cookie dough in the middle, make a rough cylinder, wrap the dough in the plastic, and roll it until it's tight. Prick in a few places to release air bubbles that might have formed. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Refrigerate the logs for at least 3 hours, or until firm. You can leave it refrigerated for a day or two. Or freeze for up to a month, wrapping the logs in aluminum on top of the plastic.
- Scoop and bake: cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours until firm enough to scoop.
- Preheat oven to 350ºF (180°C).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Take out the dough from the fridge and put ½ cup additional white sugar, about ½ cup in a shallow bowl.
- Roll the cylinder of dough, still wrapped, a few times on the counter to round out the parts that touched the refrigerator floor and are probably flattened. Cut the dough into ½ inch slices and coat each one with sugar. Alternatively, you can bake them plain, without rolling.
- Or scoop small amounts of dough and roll in your hands to make walnut-sized balls. Do this quickly so the dough remains cold.
- Arrange on the prepared baking sheet, leaving some space to grow between each cookie.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until crackled and dry.
- Let cool on wire rack. Store in an airtight metal container.
Notes
Molasses: I use dark, but you can use light molasses if you favor a lighter color and less sharpness.
Spice: cinnamon is a must and I like to use the best one I can afford (usually a deep-colored Vietnamese). I also include allspice and sometimes a dash of nutmeg. And optional but encouraged for spiciness, we're adding cardamom (that amazing peppery lemony spice), and white pepper.
Extracts: vanilla extract mellows the other flavors. And a dash of coffee extract to round up the flavor. The latter is optional, but it's a nice touch.
Freeze the whole unbaked logs- and then take them out 15-20 minutes before baking so they can be cut easily. Or freeze the already cut cookies (before they are rolled in sugar). They need some minutes at room temperature so they can be rolled in sugar before baking.
Storing: containers with airtight lids are recommended so the cookies don't become too soggy. I love tins or metal containers. After that, cookie jars are my choice.
