The other day Eli and I were hankering for some kind of ginger, some kind of molasses (translation: we were out of chocolate chips), and out of the depths of my recipe file I pulled a recipe for Big Soft Ginger Cookies. The recipe is copied from something my mom had, and I know we made it when I was in high school (which was apparently twenty years ago, according to the reunion this past weekend). I have no idea where the recipe is from; do you, Mom?
ANYWAY. these cookies are super easy and very, very good. The title pretty much tells you all you need to know. The other helpful hint is that these are the kind of cookies that are even better the next day. Chewier. Yum.
BIG SOFT GINGER COOKIES
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup butter, room temp.
1 cup sugar (my mom reduces it to 3/4 cup)
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons sugar
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and 1 cup sugar; beat until fluffy. (This is a lovely time to use your new beater blade.) Add egg and molasses; beat well. Stir dry ingredients into beaten mixture.
- Shape into 1.5-inch balls (1 heaping tablespoon dough each). Roll in the 2 tablespoons sugar and place on an ungreased cookie sheet, about 2.5 inches apart.
- Bake about 10 minutes or until light brown and still puffed. (Do not overcook, but it may take up to 15 minutes. Look in the cracks on top of the cookie and see if the cookie inside looks raw or not.) Let stand 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Makes 24 three-inch cookies.
Posts like these make me miss my kitchen. And leave me scratching pathetically at my monitor.
No, I don’t know where it came from…my recipe is printed and appears to be from some magazine. I just tried it in my eternal quest for ginger cookies like my grandmother always had on hand, but hers were loaded with lard and such, and this was the closest, and I think surpasses hers, in ease in making.
Where do you get all that colorful crockery used for your photos?
Anne, when do you get your kitchen back?
I get all my colorful crockery at Goodwill, of course.
Falatko – I’m sending you my dry cleaner’s bill – I just drooled all over my suit.
First, I can’t quite get over just how awesome that beater blade is, and (shock of shocks) it’s actually made in the U.S. Second, “These cookies are delicious!” as reported by Hugh. Ian keeps hassling me for more as I try to explain that it’s almost time for dinner (while sneaking more of them for myself). Thanks for sharing the recipe! I know it will be on heavy rotation now.
These are such Mo cookies. You’ve got to make them. You’ll love them.
I need to make them again today I think. Oh, wait, I have to go to the dentist. Maybe I’ll wait for a non-dentist day for cookie making.