Seconds and Thirds Please

When I was wracking my brain for holiday cookies to bring to last weeks cookie exchange, I decided that I wanted to tackle something new.  I love our traditional cookies, but was just feeling like a challenge.  I came across two recipes one from Martha Stewart called Chocolate Espresso Snowcaps, and the other from the kitchn for Chewy Molasses Cookies.  I linked the chocolate ones above, but made a key change with the molasses ones so am sharing it here.

I will say they were both very easy, and quite decadent!  I also really liked that they both were deliciously chewy and stayed that way.  The doughs can be easily made ahead and chilled or frozen and then baked off when you have time.

Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies

1/2 C unsalted butter

1/4 C orange infused olive oil ( I had a blood orange olive oil that I got as a gift from a friend and it     was to die for!  I was stunned at what a huge difference it made in the flavor of the cookie)!

1/4 C molasses

1 C brown sugar

1 egg

A good chunk of fresh ginger ~ 3 inches, grated

2 1/4 C flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. powdered ginger

1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper

granulated sugar for rolling

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

Cream butter, olive oil, molasses, and brown sugar together. Then add the egg and whip until smooth and add grated ginger with any juices.

In a separate bowl mix together flour, baking soda, salt, powdered ginger, Cinnamon and black pepper.  Add to wet ingredients until completely incorporated.  This will produce a soft dough.  Place in refrigerator for 1- hour. (I made the dough the night before I baked them, so just chilled it overnight).  

Take small 1 inch chunks of dough, roll them into balls, then roll them in granulated sugar.  Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes.  Once cool you can choose to ice them or keep them plain.  The flavors are strong enough that it doesn't need the icing.  If you ice them a simple glaze made from a mixture of powdered sugar, granulated sugar, and lemon juice is a nice touch!

We are a big chocolate family and the kids loved both cookies, but when they went back for seconds and thirds, it was the ginger molasses that they went after first!