Over on the Sunshine Coast is a local bakery that makes the most amazing soft, gingery, molasses cookies. I had been sad about moving away simply because it meant that I'd no longer be able to have those cookies or drop in for a chocolate ganache cake on special occasions. What do you know, I then found a recipe that produces almost the exact same cookies! Crunchy with sanding sugar and soft on the inside, these are perfect with a cup of coffee. Pair them up with some ice cream and you have a simple, but very worthy, dessert.
Ingredients:
2 1/3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp allspice
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup molasses
Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and allspice together into a medium sized bowl. Set aside.
In a bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter and both the brown and white sugar together until it forms a grainy paste. Scrape down the bowl and then add the egg and vanilla, continuing to beat until well combined. Add the molasses and mix well.
Stir in the flour mixture in three parts, mixing until only just combined. Cover the dough with cling film and put in the fridge for about 20 minutes.
Pre-heat the oven to 325 F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. When the dough is good and chilled, roll it out in 1 ½ inch balls and then roll in sanding sugar before setting 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake the cookies for about 10-12 minutes, until the tops start to crack and when you press a finger on the top they are barely set. Let the cookies sit on the sheet for about 2 minutes on the stovetop before removing to a cooling rack.
Makes about 2 ½ dozen
Adapted from The Cookiepedia
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