I know it’s just dough, but look at the sunshine!
As I type this, the sun is streaming through my kitchen window. A welcome sight, to be sure. After over a week without so much as a glimmer from the golden orb, I am soaking up what I can. It’s still chilly, though. Which is again welcome after the balmy pre-Christmas season, through into the New Year that we experienced last year. There was nary a flake to be seen, and winter coats were a formality, rather than a necessity. This cool weather has inspired me to start baking.
No, not Christmas baking
I’m not there yet. It’s still autumn. There is still the odd pop of glorious colour here and there. And while I’ve been poking around at recipes for traditional German Christmas cookies, I’m not going to begin actually making any of them for a bit yet (along with the candy which I always make).
Instead I’m longing for hearty cookies with autumn spice. My son asked for gingersnaps, but I have no molasses. Not sure how that happened. I do have dark maple syrup, but it didn’t cross my mind to use it until this very moment. *facepalm* Instead I opted to doctor up some oatmeal cookies with cinnamon, and a duo of gingers, as well as dark brown and Muscovado sugars, which add more flavour and moisture than white sugar. The result is a soft cookie with a subtly warming flavour and sturdy texture. They aren’t as strong tasting as a gingersnap, and are a lot more flavourful than a traditional oatmeal cookie. I can’t help but think that they would be well enhanced by the addition of shredded carrot and some dried sour cherries. Hmmm…
*Note – I always keep a knob of ginger in the freezer. Grating it with a microplane yields a mound of soft fluff that can be packed into a measuring spoon for precision, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Ginger Oatmeal Cookies
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup Muscovado sugar (or just use all dark brown sugar)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon grated frozen ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1. Position rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silpat sheet.
2. In a stand mixer, or with an electric hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars. This will take a little longer if using Muscovado, as it is very coarse. Scrape down the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Add the salt, vanilla, cinnamon and gingers and mix.
3. Sprinkle in the baking soda (yes, I know… this is how I roll), and add the flour. Mix on low speed until just combined. Add in the oats and again mix until just combined.
4. Using two tablespoons, drop mounds onto the lined cookie sheets, at least an inch apart. These don’t spread a lot, but give them some room just in case.
5. Bake for 12 minutes, until golden. Let cool a few minutes on the sheet before transferring the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Yield: About 30 cookies.
My Edible Journey 