For the past eight or nine years, the Toronto Star has been publishing their annual Cookie Calendar in the month of December. Each day, a new tried and true recipe is ready for testing, just in time for the festive season. I have tried several recipes over the years, and this ginger cookie from the 2014 collection, is one of the most delicious I have ever made. Really! And, you don’t just have to make it at Christmastime! These cookies have a lovely crunchy exterior and the sweetest, softest interior. I love them so much, I made up a batch of raw dough before I flew back to Toronto this past December. Packed away in my suitcase, I had my niece fire up the oven upon arrival so I could share with her family a freshly baked batch of these absolutely delicious cookies. For me, they are always in season. Do enjoy! P.S. Wanda, whoever you are…THANKS!!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (250 ml) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) each: dark brown sugar, granulated sugar
- 6 tbsp (90 ml) fancy molasses
- 1 large egg
- 2-1/3 cups (575 ml) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp (10 ml) ground ginger
- 1-1/2 tsp (7 ml) baking soda
- 3/4 tsp (4 ml) ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp (2 ml) ground cloves, salt
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) finely chopped candied ginger (about 3.5 oz/100 g)
- About 1 cup (250 ml) turbinado sugar
Directions
-
- In large bowl using electric mixer on high, beat butter, dark brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down sides. Add molasses and egg. Beat 1 minute. Scrape down sides.
- In medium bowl using fine-mesh sieve, sift flour, ground ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture. Stir until combined. Stir in candied ginger.
- Scoop dough into walnut-sized balls, about 2 tbsp (30 mL) each.
***Place turbinado sugar in shallow bowl. Roll cookies in sugar.
-
- Place cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets, about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Bake in batches in preheated 350F (180C) oven until just slightly puffed in middle, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Cool 10 minutes in pan. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Store in airtight container 5 days or freeze 1 month.
Makes about 48.
WTK’s notes:
A) These are absolutely DELICIOUS! I’d make them again in a heartbeat!
B) I made the recipe as is and used about one+ tablespoon as my measure for dividing the dough and I got 40 out of this.
C) ***I could not find “turbinado” sugar here in Amsterdam, so used the regular larger crystal sugar off the shelf at my local grocery store.
D) Definitely go for the 10 minute baking time. I usually rotate half way through baking, and this worked well. An 11 or 12 minute baking time will produce a ‘snappier’ cookie. But do watch them carefully so as not to crisp them up too much!
E) Share them with your friends 🙂
