I am a “ginger” tragic … I can’t help it … I just love this spice!
So with the festive season recently upon us, and an overload of gingerbread (see here) in our home, I got the urge to try combining the spice with molasses (which I also love!).
This cookie is the result .. it is not a hard crunchy cookie that some may prefer (like my husband Bryan), but softer like the traditional European gingerbreads that I like.
My original intention was to “dress up” the cookie by sandwiching the pieces together with white chocolate ganache, but the family love them just as they are so I held back. If you are thinking of offering these as a gift, then I think a white chocolate ganache filling would be perfect, or for something simpler try a lemon buttercream or icing.
This recipes makes a lot of cookies (20g per cookie) so there’s plenty to share around, or for school lunch boxes if the kids like spice cookies like we do.
RECIPE UPDATE: Molasses naturally has a high mineral content including sodium, and as I am unsure of what molasses people may use I have eliminated using sea salt flakes in this recipe … you will still get a slight “salty” kick from the molasses, but if you decide you want more after you have made your first batch, then add 1/2 tsp of sea salt flakes (or 1/4 tsp fine sea salt) next time and work your way from there.
RECIPE UPDATE: Molasses naturally has a high mineral content including sodium, and as I am unsure of what molasses people may use I have eliminated using sea salt flakes in this recipe ... you will still get a slight "salty" kick from the molasses, but if you decide you want more after you have made your first batch, then add ½ tsp of sea salt flakes (or ¼ tsp fine sea salt) next time and work your way from there.
- 150g light muscovado sugar, or brown sugar
- 150g molasses
- 120g butter
- 1 tbls ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- Sea salt flakes (see recipe update)
- 1 tsp bi-carb
- 200g white spelt flour, or plain flour
- 200g wholemeal spelt flour, or plain wholemeal flour
- 1 x 60g egg
- Preheat oven to 160 degrees fan forced
- Line two baking trays with baking paper (you may need to reuse one tray depending on how large your trays are … recipe makes a lot of cookies)
- Have a small bowl of water ready to dip your fingers into
- Place sugar, molasses, butter, spices, salt (if using) and bi-carb into TM bowl and mix 30 seconds / speed 4
- Add flours and egg and mix 6 seconds / speed 6
- Knead 30 seconds, scrape around bowl and knead again for 10 seconds
- Remove dough from TM bowl (it will be a little sticky) onto a silicon mat or baking paper
- With dampened hands lightly knead dough and bring mix together into a flattened disk
- Working with quarter of the dough at a time, and with dampened hands, lightly roll out the dough into a sausage shape (continue to dampen your hands as needed)
- Using a scraper cut off pieces that roughly equal a tablespoon in volume (if you like to be precise – like me – then place each piece of dough onto a digital scale to adjust weight to 20g for each cookie)
- Roll each piece into a ball and place onto your baking tray leaving 5cm between cookies for expansion
- Bake one tray at a time for 8 minutes, turn tray around, and bake a further 4 minutes or until puffed and golden
- Allow cookies to rest on tray for 15 minutes before moving to a cooling rack to cool completely before storing in an airtight container
- Cookies will keep well for at least two weeks, but suspect it could be longer ...
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