Karen Barnaby: Ginger cookies both firmly festive and year-round treat

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My partner loves ginger cookies, largely attributable to his grandmother who baked ginger cookies and kept them in a tin with a piece of bread to keep them soft.

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With that in mind, I chose to feature ginger cookies for this column, hoping that all the readers of it have a sweet memory of ginger cookies, spicily wafting in their past.

I don’t usually bake unless it’s a special occasion, or for a specific project. Earlier this year, I made ginger cookies for a bridal shower and extras were made so he could sneak them. He will be thrilled when he sees the stacks of cookies produced from this column and won’t need to but will probably miss the excitement of sneaking cookies. Every December I make him the ginger crunch from my December 2016 column, which makes him very happy.

What I find interesting about ginger cookies is that they’re a year-round cookie that comes out in full force during the festive season. Is there any other cookie that can claim that honour? Almost every country in the western world has a version, offering a palette of flavours and textures to choose from. I don’t play favourites, as all good ginger cookies are good.

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Cookie tips

● All spices are dried and ground.

● Flour is all-purpose, sugar is white granulated.

● Position a rack in the middle of the oven before turning it on.

● Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl throughout the whole mixing process.

● Rolling in cane sugar creates a distinct sparkly exterior; use granulated white sugar if you wish.

● Use parchment-lined baking sheets.

● Cool baking sheets to room temperature before placing more dough on them.

Fudgy ginger cookies

These have a soft, melting texture and make very good ice cream sandwiches. You can omit dusting with icing sugar if you prefer.

2 1/4 cups (270 g) flour

1 tsp (6 g) baking soda

1/2 tsp (2.5 g) salt

1 1/2 tsp (3 g) ginger

1 1/2 tsp (3 g) cinnamon

3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, room temperature

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1/3 cup (65 g) sugar

1/3 cup (70 g) dark brown sugar, packed

1 large egg yolk

1 tsp (4 g) pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup (170 g) fancy molasses

1/2 cup (100 g) sugar

icing sugar for dusting

Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt and spices together until blended. Cream the butter. Add the sugars; mix until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolk, vanilla and molasses; mix until well blended.

Add flour mixture in three additions and mix until just combined. Cover and chill for 1 hour.

Heat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Roll the dough into 1 1/2 Tbsp (20 g) balls. Place 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the baking sheet.

Bake 1 sheet at a time for 10 to 12 minutes until cookies are puffy and cracked. The centres should remain soft. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Sift icing sugar over the cookies before serving.

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Makes about 32 cookies.

Chewy ginger cookies

If you’re a ginger lover, add 2 tbsp (30 ml) of finely chopped ginger to the dough.

2 cups (240 g) flour

1 tsp (6 g) baking soda

1/2 tsp (2.5 g) salt

1 tsp (2 g) cinnamon

1 tsp (2 g) ginger

1/2 tsp (1 g) nutmeg

1/4 tsp (0.5 g) cloves

1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup (100 g) sugar

1/2 cup (100 g) dark brown sugar packed

1 large egg, room temperature

1 tsp (4 g) pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup (80 g) fancy molasses

1/2 cup (100 g) cane sugar

Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt and spices together until blended. Cream the butter. Add the sugars and mix until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla and molasses; mix until well blended. Add flour mixture in three additions and mix until just combined. Cover and chill for 1 hour.

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Heat the oven to 350°F (175ºC). Roll the dough into 1 1/2 Tbsp (20 g) balls then roll in the cane sugar. Place 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the baking sheet. Press to flatten slightly with a flat-bottomed glass. Bake 1 sheet at a time for 10-11 minutes until cookies are crinkly and the edges set but soft in the middle. Remove from the oven and cool for 2 minutes before transferring cookies to a cooling rack.

Makes about 32 cookies.

Gingersnaps

Instead of rolling in the cane sugar, you can press the balls of dough into sliced almonds for another layer of texture and flavour.

2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour

1/2 tsp (3 g) baking soda

1/4 tsp (1.2 g) salt

1 1/2 tsp (3 g) ground cinnamon

2 tsp (4 g) ground ginger

1/2 tsp (1 g) ground cloves

3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, room temperature

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1/2 cup (105 g) firmly packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup (100 g) white granulated sugar

1/4 cup (80 g) fancy molasses

1 large egg

1/2 tsp (2 g) pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup (100 g) cane sugar

Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt and spices together until blended. Cream the butter. Add the sugars and mix until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla and molasses; mix until well blended. Add flour mixture in three additions and mix until just combined. Cover and chill for 1 hour.

Heat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Roll the dough into 1 1/2 Tbsp (20 g) balls then roll in the cane sugar. Place 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the baking sheet. Press to flatten slightly with a flat-bottomed glass. Bake 1 sheet at a time for 12-14 minutes until cookies are crinkly and firm in the middle. Remove from the oven and cool for 2 minutes before transferring cookies to a cooling rack.

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Makes about 32 cookies.

barnabyvansun@gmail.com

instagram.com/karenbarnaby

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