Bake These, No Seriously – The Spice Cookie with Cocoa and Bourbon

 NJ November 16

I’m back in my own kitchen in NJ and it’s time to get going.

Today, I really started with an idea for a corn and cranberry soufflé-looking creation but then I got to reading Dorie Greenspan’s new Cookie book.  Is it ever too early to start Cookie season?  I know full well that next week is Thanksgiving and I should be focusing on that, but today I went off in another direction.

I’ve been craving gingersnap cookies for a few weeks now and so, I started down that road.  This recipe is adapted from Ina Garten’s Ultimate Ginger Cookie but today’s iteration is inspired by Dorie Greenspan since I was reading her book when I “cooked” this idea up.  I purposely ordered this book while I was away last week so I’d have something waiting at home for me to look forward to.  These cookies have just a hint of that “je ne said quoi” that I love to invite in. You can of course, play with your ingredients as you desire – see below.

 freshly ground black pepper and star anise

Warm Spices, Cocoa and Bourbon – where can you go wrong?

  got time for tea?

The Spice Cookie with Cocoa and Bourbon – adapted from Ina Garten and inspired by Dorie Greenspan – Yield 27 cookies

2¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, I use Pernigotti

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1½ teaspoons ground cloves

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 tsp of a mixture of 1 tsp whole black peppercorns freshly ground with 3 whole star anise

1 rounded teaspoon freshly grated ginger

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 tbsp (or more) Bourbon, such as Jim Beam

1/3 cup unsulfured molasses

1 egg, at room temperature

1¼ cup chopped crystallized ginger (6 ounces)

Granulated sugar, for rolling the cookies

Preheat oven to 350F.  Line three baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a spice grinder, grind 1 tsp black peppercorns together with 3 whole star anise.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ground ginger, and 1/2 tsp of the black pepper/star anise mixture.  Add the tbsp of cocoa and whisk till blended.

In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the brown sugar and oil on low until blended.  Add molasses.  Beat for 5 minutes on medium speed, scraping down as needed.   Add the egg, fresh ginger and the tsp of bourbon and beat on low for 1 minute.  Scrape down bowl and beat for 1 more minute.  Scrape down bowl.

With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients and beat until blended.  Add the crystalized ginger and beat 1 more minute.  Remove bowl from mixer and finish blending with a wooden spoon.  Scoop with a small ice cream scoop into balls and rollin granulated sugar.  Bake for 13 minutes if you want soft cookies or 15 minutes if you want them a little crispier, turning pan in the middle of baking time.  Remove from oven and cool on pan for 2 minutes.

Today I went light-handed on the cocoa and bourbon – but I suggest you might play with increasing the quantities of these 2 ingredients, first by 1/2 next time, as I will.

Hope you enjoy.  These, by the way will make a great after-note to your Thanksgiving Day with a late glass of Port.  If it’s cold, light a fire.

These, incidentally, would make a great crumble on top of ice cream or pressed into a tart crust.

  

updated 11/19/16 for errors – sorry