I don’t remember ever eating ginger molasses cookies growing up, though I do recall there always being a full, sticky carton of molasses in the cupboard. My brother and I used to dip a finger in to taste and then make a face, never learning apparently. It wasn’t until I first tried this cookie, years later at the local Starbucks, that I became a ginger junkie and a lover of molasses. Also, of late, whenever I go back to Quebec for a visit I get spoiled by family to the traditional French Canadian meal galettes de sarasin, or Buckwheat pancakes, which are rolled in pork and lard and dipped in nearly half a container of molasses it seems – these are to die for! Molasses redeemed!
I work with a great group of cooks and bakers on my office floor who are forever fattening the rest of us up with delicious treats – particularly around the holidays when different sugary platters beckon me every time I walk by the kitchen. Today someone brought in the chewiest homemade ginger molasses cookies I’ve ever sampled, so I immediately swiped a couple more and tried to greedily conserve my small stash throughout the day. Thanks Gaylynn. Bon Appetit!
(Makes about 2 dozen large cookies)
What you’ll need:
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsulphured molasses (don’t use blackstrap molasses
2 large eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 granulated sugar, for coating
Directions
1. Sift, or use a fork to mix the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger into a medium bowl. Set aside.
2. Cream the softened butter, brown sugar and 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl with a mixer on high speed for about 1 minute. Beat in the egg and molasses, slowly at first and then on high speed for 30 more seconds. Scrape the sides continuously, as the batter will keep trying to escape from the bowl.
3. Mix in the flour mixture at low speed until well stirred and until it no longer has a “curdled” look. Cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray.
5. Place 1/4 – 1/2 cup of granulated sugar on a small dish, to be used for rolling out and coating the cookies.
6. Form cookie dough into balls just bigger than a walnut (about 1/4 cup) then roll each cookie ball into the sugar. Place on greased cookie sheet, about 6 to the sheet as they will spread quite a bit while baking.
7. Dampen your fingers slightly with water and press down very gently on each cookie, to flatten and slightly moisten the tops. If you don’t have room in the oven for multiple baking sheets, keep the remainder of the rolled cookie balls in the fridge while the other baking sheet is in the oven.
8. Depending on the size of the balls, cooking times will vary. If balls are smaller than a walnut, try 8-10 minutes. If a little larger, such as the size suggested here, try 10-12 minutes. I personally like the cookies a bit bigger, so you don’t have to feel guilty about continuously going back for more. Rotate the baking sheet half way through to ensure even baking. Store in an airtight container to keep them from losing their chewiness after a few hours – though they likely won’t last that long without being eaten!
gentlemangourmet 
December 21st, 2010 at 5:58 pm
Oh ho ho! I see you are encroaching on my cookie territory:) nicely done, they sound great.
December 21st, 2010 at 6:48 pm
I’m breaking out of my silo 🙂