Let's Cook

Showing posts with label cookies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cookies. Show all posts

Monday, December 16, 2013

Ginger Molasses Cookies---Soft & Chew Goodness!

Ginger and Molasses just were meant to be together...they are a perfect couple. Being a texture kind of gal, I personally prefer a crunch ginger snap cookie but I couldn't help but fall in love with this recipe! Oh, the ooey gooey goodness of molasses and spices of ginger, clove and cinnamon....uhmmmm!  My spin on this recipe is that I used sorghum molasses that I bought at the Country View Mennonite store while home in TN during Thanksgiving. I can honestly say that I'm convinced the fresh sorghum made these cookies the divine little chewy gems that they are. So make a batch of these and hide a few for yourself to enjoy with a cup of coffee (or Tea my friend Kathy!) on the porch before everyone else wakes up. It will be a perfect start to your day! Enjoy :)

 Ultimate Ginger Molasses Cookies

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup unsulfured molasses (I used pure sorghum molasses)
1 extra-large egg, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups chopped crystallized ginger (6 ounces)
Granulated sugar, for rolling the cookies

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and salt and then combine the mixture with your hands. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the brown sugar, oil, and molasses on medium speed for 5 minutes. Turn the mixer to low speed, add the egg, and beat for 1 minute. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat for 1 more minute. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the crystallized ginger and mix until combined.

Scoop the dough with 2 spoons or a small ice cream scoop. With your hands, roll each cookie into a 1 3/4-inch ball and then flatten them lightly with your fingers. Press both sides of each cookie in granulated sugar and place them on the sheet pans. Bake for exactly 13 minutes. The cookies will be crackled on the top and soft inside. Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Note: I thought the dough was too soft to roll up by hand so I just dropped the dough by good spoonfuls onto the baking sheet and sprinkled the tops with some sugar before putting into the oven. Turned out great!

Soft Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies :) YUM
***The original recipe for this cookie is from:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/ultimate-ginger-cookie-recipe/index.html

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Peanut Butter Swirl Bars

This is one of those recipes that you have so many times, you don't even know if it's written down anywhere! I do remember that I found this on a bag of chocolate chips when Amanda was a little girl so that's been over 30 years. You can use chunky or smooth peanut butter. This is like a chewy peanut butter brownie with ripples of chocolate through it. I like to use Ghirardelli dark chocolate chips for this and I love to eat this still warm...it's just lots of goodness going on when you bite into this!

Peanut Butter Swirl Bars

 
¾ cup brown sugar
¾ cup white sugar
1/3 cup margarine/butter
½ cup peanut butter
2 eggs
¾ cup self-rising flour
½ tsp. Vanilla
1 ½ cup chocolate chips
 
Preheat over to 375. Cream together the sugars and margarine; add eggs and vanilla; stir in flour. Spread in pan (8x11 or a 8 x 8 square) that is greased. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top of the batter and place in the oven for 5-6 minutes (chocolate will begin to melt). Remove from the oven and with a knife, swirl the chocolate chips ONCE through the batter. (more than that and it mixes with the batter and that’s not what you want. Just move the knife down through the batter). Return the pan to the oven and bake another 25 minutes. More if using an 8x8 because the batter will be thicker.
 
If you only have plain flour, add ½ tsp baking soda and ½ tsp salt