Ginger Cookies and Snow Days

Today was the second snow day we had this week.  After two years of green Christmases, we are buried in the white stuff with ten days to go.

Monday's snow day was a good day for a Chocolate Upside Down Cake.  This afternoon we ended up snacking on fresh Pizza Buns.

There was hot chocolate, with egg nog and peppermint.  Our 14 year old's specialty.

But what a day like this really calls for is these perfectly soft and spiced ginger cookies.  Like gingersnaps without the snap.  They are my daughter-in-law's specialty, and they were made for snow days.

Soft Ginger Cookies

original recipe here

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 large egg

1/4 cup molasses

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

Extra sugar to roll cookies in

Directions

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and molasses. Combine the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt.  Gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well.

Roll into 1-1/2-in. balls, then roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350°F until puffy and lightly browned, 10-12 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool. 

Makes 2-1/2 dozen.

Enjoy!

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Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies.  The most basic sweet treat.  And sometimes the most complex.  Milk chocolate or semi-sweet.  Or both, and call it double chocolate.  Add cocoa to the batter, and you've just upped your cookie game to triple chocolate.  Some swear by cornstarch to keep them soft.  Or ground oats for a subtle crunch.  Chocolate chunks instead of chips, for big pockets of melty chocolate.  Maybe a sprinkle of sea salt for a gourmet touch.

But sometimes you have to keep it simple.  They don't last long enough around here to justify anything complicated.  This recipe made 36 cookies and by the time they were finished cooling, there were 16 left.  I ate two.

Oh, and I used my super shiny, brand spanking new, grown-up mixer for these.  A Christmas present from my hubby.  I have never been so excited to cream together butter and sugar.

For real.

Crispy at the edges and chewy in the middle.  Chocolate chip cookie perfection.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tbsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Beat together butter and both sugars until fluffy.  Be sure to admire the paddle as it perfectly beats it's way around the bowl.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.  Stir into butter mixture until combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.

Scoop (approx. 2 tbsp scoops) onto cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes, or until edges are golden brown and firm to the touch.  Allow to cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to cooling racks.

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Gingerbread Biscotti

As promised, the recipe for the Gingerbread Biscotti that was part of our Thanksgiving dessert collection.

Our oldest son's girlfriend made a beautiful batch of this biscotti.  The gingerbread flavour is just right, the texture is perfect, and the white chocolate puts these over the top.

Twice baking the biscotti gives them a crunchy texture, perfect for dunking in a cup of coffee.

They are not overly sweet, and there's just enough heat from the ginger.  They really were amazing!

If you've never made biscotti before, and if you like gingerbread, this is a great recipe to try.

Gingerbread Biscotti

Makes 4 dozen

Ingredients

1/3 cup butter, room temperature

1 cup white sugar

3 eggs

1/4 cup molasses

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 1/2 tbsp ground ginger

3/4 tbsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tbsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1 cup white chocolate chips

1 tbsp coconut oil or vegetable shortening

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375° F (190° C). Grease a cookie sheet.

In a large bowl, mix together butter, sugar, eggs, and molasses. In another bowl, combine flours, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg; mix into egg mixture to form a stiff dough.

Divide dough in half, and shape each half into a roll the length of a cookie sheet. Place rolls on cookie sheet, and pat down to flatten the dough to 1/2 inch thickness.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, and set aside to cool.

When cool enough to touch, cut into 1/2 inch thick diagonal slices. Place sliced biscotti on cookie sheet, and bake an additional 5 to 7 minutes on each side, or until toasted and crispy.

Remove from oven, and set aside to cool. 

Prepare white chocolate for dipping by melting together chips and oil over low heat until smooth.  Here’s a step by step tutorial for melting chocolate.

Dip one half of each biscotti in melted chocolate and allow to harden before serving.

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