Absolute Perfection Ginger Spice Cookies Food

SOFT, SPICY, HEAVENLY GINGER COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy.
• Stir in the molasses.
• Mix the water and baking soda and stir.
• Sift together the flour, salt, and dry spices; add gradually to the sugar-margarine mixture.
• Gradually stir the sifted ingredients, along with the ginger and raisins, into the molasses mixture.
• Shape dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.
• (The dough may be too soft to handle at this point- I suggest either adding a bit of flour, or refrigerating for 20 minutes[or even overnight]).
• Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten slightly.
• Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes.

GINGER SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine first 6 ingredients in medium bowl; whisk to blend. Mix in crystallized ginger. Using electric mixer, beat brown sugar, shortening and butter in large bowl until fluffy. Add egg and molasses and beat until blended. Add flour mixture and mix just until blended. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter 2 baking sheets. Spoon sugar in thick layer onto small plate. Using wet hands, form dough into 1 1/4-inch balls; roll in sugar to coat completely. Place balls on prepared sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
• Bake cookies until cracked on top but still soft to touch, about 12 minutes. Cool on sheets 1 minute. Carefully transfer to racks and cool. (Can be made 5 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)

GINGER SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine first 6 ingredients in medium bowl; whisk to blend. Mix in crystallized ginger. Using electric mixer, beat brown sugar, butter in large bowl until fluffy. Add egg and molasses and beat until blended. Add flour mixture and mix just until blended. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350°F Lightly butter 2 baking sheets, or line with parchment paper. Spoon sugar in thick layer onto small plate. Using wet hands, form dough into 1 1/4-inch balls; roll in sugar to coat completely. Place balls on prepared sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
• Bake cookies until cracked on top but still soft to touch, about 12 minutes. Cool on sheets 1 minute. Carefully transfer to racks and cool. (Can be made 5 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)
• Makes about 30.
• * The original recipe called for light molasses and dark brown sugar. I found that regular molasses and light brown sugar worked great. The original recipe also called for 1/4 cup shortening and 1/4 cup butter. I followed the suggestions to omit the shortening and to use 1/2 cup of butter and it also worked out great.

GINGER SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Puree the ginger in a mini food processor with 2 tablespoons water. Squeeze and strain juice through cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer. Discard the ginger pulp. Reserve the juice.
• Sift the flour, baking soda, salt and spices into a medium bowl, then whisk in the pepper; set aside.
• Cream the butter and sugar with a handheld mixer until light and fluffy, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the molasses and ginger juice and beat until evenly incorporated, about 2 minutes. (Stir together with a spatula if needed.) Gradually blend the dry ingredients on low speed into the butter mixture until you have a crumbly mixture. Bring the dough together by hand pressing and kneading lightly until moist, but not tacky. Divide into 2 equal portions, press into disks about 1/2-inch thick. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Position racks evenly in the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Dust the dough and a work surface with flour. Roll the dough about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out cookies into desired shapes. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake until the cookies are a rich tawny brown, about 18 to 20 minutes. Cool on a rack.
• For decorating: Whisk the water and egg white powder in a medium bowl until foamy and smooth. Gradually whisk in the confectioners' sugar to make a smooth icing. For multiple colors divide the icing into batches and add a food coloring as desired. Spread or pipe the icing onto the cookies. Finish with sprinkles, or candies. Let rest on a rack until the icing sets, about 30 minutes.

GINGER SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Puree the ginger in a mini food processor with 2 tablespoons water. Squeeze and strain juice through cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer. Discard the ginger pulp. Reserve the juice.
• Sift the flour, baking soda, salt and spices into a medium bowl, then whisk in the pepper; set aside.
• Cream the butter and sugar with a handheld mixer until light and fluffy, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the molasses and ginger juice and beat until evenly incorporated, about 2 minutes. (Stir together with a spatula if needed.) Gradually blend the dry ingredients on low speed into the butter mixture until you have a crumbly mixture. Bring the dough together by hand pressing and kneading lightly until moist, but not tacky. Divide into 2 equal portions, press into disks about 1/2-inch thick. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Position racks evenly in the oven and preheat to 350ºF.
• Dust the dough and a work surface with flour. Roll the dough about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out cookies into desired shapes. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake until the cookies are a rich tawny brown, about 18 to 20 minutes. Cool on a rack.
• Whisk the water and egg white powder in a medium bowl until foamy and smooth. Gradually whisk in the confectioners' sugar to make a smooth icing. For multiple colors divide the icing into batches and add a food coloring as desired. Spread or pipe the icing onto the cookies. Finish with sprinkles, or candies. Let rest on a rack until the icing sets, about 30 minutes.

SOFT WHOLE-WHEAT GINGER SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F. Stir together flours, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, pepper and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream together butter and one cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and then stir in water and molasses. Gradually stir dry ingredients into molasses mixture. Shape dough into walnut-sized balls and roll them in remaining two tablespoons sugar.
• Place the cookies two inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet and flatten slightly. Bake for 8-10 minutes in preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for five minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

GINGER-SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Mix flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, salt and cloves in medium bowl. Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in egg and molasses. Beat in dry ingredients (dough will be very soft). Cover bowl with plastic. Refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly butter 2 large baking sheets. Place sugar in shallow dish. Form dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Roll each ball in sugar to coat. Arrange cookies on prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Using bottom of glass, gently press dough balls to form 1 1/2- to 1 3/4-inch rounds. Bake until cookies puff slightly but are still soft, about 12 minutes. Transfer cookies to rack and cool. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Store in airtight container.)

GLAZED LEMON AND CRYSTALLIZED GINGER COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375.
• Mix sugar, crystallized ginger and lemon zest and process about 30 seconds in food processor.
• Add flour, salt and baking powder and pulse until combined.
• Add butter in chunks and pulse until mixture resembles fine cornmeal.
• In small bowl beat lemon juice, egg yolk and vanilla with fork. Add slowly to ingredients in running food processor. Continue running until mixture forms a ball.
• Turn onto counter and knead briefly to even out dough. Shape into 2 inch diameter log, wrap tightly in parchment and chill for 45 minutes in freezer or 2 hours in refrigerator.
• Slice into 3/8 inch thick discs and bake on parchment paper until centers just begin to color and edges begin to brown - 14-16 minutes.
• Cool 5 minutes on baking sheet, then completely on cooling rack before glazing.
• Make glaze by whisking cream cheese and lemon juice until smooth, then whisking in sugar. Spread about 1 tsp glaze on each cookie and let stand about one hour until glaze is set and dry.

SPICY GINGER COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Whisk brown sugar, shortening, butter, molasses, eggs, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt, cloves, and cayenne pepper together in a large bowl until glossy; fold in flour until dough is just-combined.
• Pour coarse sugar into a shallow bowl. Roll dough into 48 balls. Roll balls in sugar and place 2-inches apart on a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the tops of the cookies crack, about 9 minutes.

MOXIE'S CRYSTALLIZED GINGER COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°.
• Cream butter& sesame oil with molasses sugar and egg.
• Sift together dry ingredients (except candied ginger) and add to creamed mixture.
• Blend well.
• Fold in candied ginger.
• Chill for one hour.
• Form into 1-inch balls, roll in granulated sugar.
• Put cookies about 2 inches apart from each other on a greased baking sheet (or one you have lined with parchment paper).
• Bake 8-10 minutes.