I guess I've decided to do this.
NaBloPoMo, bring it.
Clearly, I'm insane.
Didn't I just write about being stressed out?
Well, I bought a stroller, so that makes me feel less stressed. Mildly. Not really. At all.
I need cookies.
But not chocolate cookies. I don't feel like eating chocolate lately. I know, I know, the pregnant brain works in mysterious ways.
I bought a GIANT bag of organic candied ginger last week, to make these beauties. But of course, like with everything, I bought 10 times more candied ginger than I needed.
But my endless hours of browsing through Pinterest brought me to this. The Barefoot Contessa's ultimate ginger cookie.
Seriously. It was like heaven opened up and dropped me this cookie recipe, as if to say, "oh, you were craving this?"
The cookie is so spicy, the ginger is overwhelming. If you are not the biggest fan of ginger, do not make this cookie. It's crisp and sugary on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. You get big chunks of candied ginger as soon as you bite into it. It's perfect. Literally, THE perfect cookie.
Ultimate ginger cookies
[ adapted from Dinner du Jour via Pinterest ]
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1/4 olive oil
1/3 unsulfured black molasses
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/4 cups chopped crystallized ginger
sugar, for rolling cookies in
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Whisk to combine.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat together the sugar, oil, and molasses on medium speed for 5 minutes. Turn mixer down to low speed and beat in eggs for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for 1 more minute on low speed. Slowly add the dry ingredients and turn mixer up to medium speed and beat for 2 minutes. Add chopped ginger and stir until combined. Note: dough is crazy sticky, will be really hard to scrape down sides of bowl.
Scoop dough with a small ice cream scoop or cookie scoop, roll into a ball, flatten slightly, then roll in the sugar. Place 1/2-inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake cookies for exactly 13 minutes. Let cool slightly on pan, about 1 minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store leftover in airtight containers.
