Ginger Cookies

Tags

cookies, dessert, ginger, molasses

These cookies were another gift for a coworker. He’s not big on sweets, though he was a huge fan of the gingerbread cupcakes I made. His request was another ginger treat, though not gingerbread. When he and his wife were in Costa Rica, they had ginger biscuits. They didn’t seem very sweet and they were similar consistency to the snickerdoodles I had previously made. That was his request for Christmas, if possible. I of course went to the internet and began my search. A lot of the cookies I found were flat, and seemed heavy on the molasses which would make them more gingerbread flavored. I finally found these, and they seemed to fit the bill. They were delicious! The texture is soft and fluffy, and the ginger flavor is very prominent. I would probably increase the amount of ginger I use next time, just to give it a little more of a ginger zing. You definitely need to be a ginger fan to like these, but if you do, make sure to give these a try!Ginger Cookies
Note: Use 3 teaspoons of ground ginger for a stronger ginger flavor.

¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
1 egg
¼ cup molasses
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
2-3 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place ½ cup sugar in a shallow bowl; set aside.

In a small bowl, combine flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt; whisk to combine. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and ½ cup sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and molasses; gradually add the flour mixture, mixing at a low speed. Roll into 1½-inch balls, then roll cookie balls in the shallow bowl of sugar. Place cookies 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until puffy and lightly browned. Let cookies cool on the cookie sheet for a couple of minutes then remove to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Source: Adapted from Allrecipes

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Gingerbread Cupcakes with Brown Sugar-Cinnamon Buttercream

Tags

buttercream, Christmas, cinnamon, ginger, gingerbread, molasses

I love the flavors of this season. While gingerbread isn’t one of my favorite flavors, it’s so traditional for this time of the year, I couldn’t resist! Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy little gingerbread men and whatnot, just in small doses. And these cupcakes are little cake versions of those tasty seasonal cookies. Cream cheese frosting is such a common pairing with gingerbread, and I know it’s what some people would want and expect. And who am I to disappoint! But at the same time, I saw so many unique frostings paired up with other gingerbread cupcakes, and I really wanted to try a less traditional flavor.I couldn’t decide between the two frosting options, so I asked at work and on Facebook. I didn’t really get a clear winner there, either, though one person recommended putting both frostings on one cupcake! As good as that sounds, I took their suggestion with a sort of twist… I made both frostings and one batch of cupcakes, so now I have extra frosting already made for when I make another batch of cupcakes!! Win-win for me and everyone who gets extra cupcakes! Hehe. The frosting went wonderfully with the cupcakes, and all the flavors complimented each other perfectly. If you are a fan of gingerbread, you’ll absolutely love these cupcakes!Gingerbread Cupcakes with Brown Sugar-Cinnamon Buttercream 

Cupcakes:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup molasses
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 cup all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon salt

Brown Sugar-Cinnamon Buttercream
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
⅓ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3½ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2-3 tablespoons cream

To make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake tins with paper liners.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, and salt; set aside. In another small bowl, stir together the boiling water and baking soda until dissolved; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the molasses, egg, and vanilla. Slowly beat in the baking soda water. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture; mix until just combined.

Spoon the gingerbread batter into the prepared cupcake tins. Bake about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and cool for 5 minutes, then remove the cupcakes to the wire rack and cool completely.

To make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar together until creamy. Add the cinnamon and confectioners’ sugar; beat at medium-low speed until the sugar is fully incorporated. Add the cream 1 tablespoon at a time, until frosting is smooth and fluffy. Frost cupcakes and decorate as desired.

Source: Adapted from The Culinary Chronicles, who adapted it from The Spice Kitchen: Everyday Cooking with Organic Spices