I think I can honestly say that my oven will be getting its holiday vacation for the next couple of days or so.
It seems like everyone builds up for Christmas each year and yet the day comes, and goes, and next thing you know, Christmas, the day we spend weeks getting ready for, is over in what feels like minutes. Sometimes, I wonder if Christmas should just be considered a month-long holiday. 'Cause it certainly felt like it this month. I'm still finding random balls and disks of forgotten cookie dough in my fridge and freezer... and underneath my fingernails... but that's irrelevant...
I hope you all had a great, wonderful Christmas full of good food and, of course, cookies. I know I sure did (cookies included!). I hope you all got pretty chef knives and lots of cookbooks under your tree... I know I'll be enjoying my new set of ramekins, my new cookbook, and my espresso maker. Oh yes. The espresso make has been put to good use already, I assure you -- it will not go unused ;). Now I just need to whip up some biscotti to go with it, and I'll really have no reason to get out of bed. Ever again.
Besides the being sick, Christmas allergies and the drastic amount of laundry covered in powdered sugar and flour touring over next to me, I'd say that this Christmas was a successful one... with leftovers to enjoy.
In all seriousness, I'll probably be back in the cookie making business in a few days. ;) Have to put those new tools to good use afterall :).
One of the most praised cookies that made it to my cookie tray this year had to be these gingersnaps... I gotta admit, they are the best i've ever had. I usually like my gingersnaps very crunchy, but these are wonderful when chewy and much, much better than the store-bought ones that taste like molasses bricks, in my honest opinion. And thankfully, they go either way you want them to... crunchy or chewy. But make sure you don't store the crunchy ones with the chewy ones... the moisture will rape whatever crunchiness your other batch of cookies will hold. No crunchy cookie is safe from it. Truth.
Now, if you don't want to go run off and bake these beauties right away... I completely understand... but definitely keep them in your recipe box to make. And just so you know, they taste just as fabulous after Christmas as they do on Christmas. In other words... you have no excuse not to make these. ;) They really are splendid with a particularly frothy cappucino or just a nice glass of cold milk. You might even find yourself actually getting out of bed to go for seconds.
Perfect Gingersnaps
(Thanks to 17andbaking for the killer recipe)
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cloves
Pinch of salt
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
3/4 cup canola oil
1 large egg
Sugar for rolling (I like evaporated cane juice or raw sugar)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, spices, and salt in a medium bowl. In another bowl, combine together the brown sugar, molasses, canola oil, and egg until smooth.
2. Mix the flour mixture into the brown mixture, stirring until dough comes together. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 20 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
4. Scoop up bits of dough by the heaping teaspoonful and roll into balls between your palms, about the size of a quarter. Roll the balls in sugar and place on the baking sheets 2 inches apart. Bake 8 minutes – if you like crispy gingersnaps, try 9-10 minutes. Cookies will be very soft but will firm up. Leave on the baking sheet several minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Store crunchy cookies at room temperature, uncovered. Store chewy/soft cookies in air-tight container. Cookies will stay good for quite some time.
5 comments:
I'm definitely saving this recipe for next year. I was slightly disappointed in my gingersnap cookies this year. I'm ready to try a new recipe, and yours look great.
gosh, megan, please please PLEASE make them. they are scary good. they are stack up to a big glass of milk good. and so wonderfully spicy. :)
these look so special...I love the bow too.
what is molasses?? and can i use any other oil than canola oil?
Neha, molasses can be found at any grocery store -- usually near where the honey/peanut butter/pancake syrup is (look on the top shelves)... it's basically the process of beating sugar cane into sugar -- or crystallized sugar. It's got a strong taste to it if you use too much. Make sure you don't get blackstrap molasses for this recipe though. Dark, unsulphured molasses works best here :)
Yes, you can use any non-flavored oil such as safflower oil. If you're in a pinch though, I don't think olive oil would effect these cookies TOO much but you might get a bit of an aftertaste so it's best to use a flavorless oil.
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