Just because the holiday season is over, doesn’t mean the cookie baking season is over. I spotted these molasses, gingery cookies in the January 2009 Canadian Living and knew they would be a perfect treat. They are crispy and sugary and spicy and perfect with a cup of afternoon tea.
These are icebox cookies, meaning you can make, refrigerate and bake as you like, so you can always enjoy a few fresh cookies.
Recipe: Sugar and Spice Icebox Cookies
Summary: The original recipe suggested making 3 logs and rolling them to 1-inch diameter. I didn’t think there was nearly enough dough for 3, but I did 2. This makes a tiny cookie, if that’s what you’re after. I prefer mine bigger, so I’ve altered the recipe to make 1 log and rolling them to a 2-inch diameter log.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 Tbsp. fancy molasses
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 cup turbinado, raw or other crystalized sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat butter with sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg yolk, molasses and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, allspice and salt. Combine with butter mixture in 2 additions.
- Place dough on waxed or parchment paper. Using the paper as support, roll into a 2-inch diameter log. Wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours. (Can be refrigerated up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 weeks.)
- Sprinkle turbinado or raw sugar on waxed papper. Unwrap log and roll in sugar. Cut into 1/4 inch thick slices. Dip the top of the cookie in the sugar and place, sugar side up, on an un-greased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
- Bake in a 350° oven until bottoms are browned, about 10 minutes. Let cool on pans on a cooling rack for 2 minutes. Transfer to racks to cool completely.
Prep time: 15 min | Cook time: 20 min | Total time: 2 hours 20 min
Number of servings (yield): 12
Adapted from a Canadian Living January 2009 recipe
