Molasses Spice Leaves Recipes

SOFT AND CHEWY MOLASSES SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Add the butter, brown and white sugars to a large mixing bowl. Use either a handheld mixer or a stand mixer. If you have a standing mixer then use the paddle attachment.
• Beat the butter and the sugars at medium-high speed until light and fluffy-about 3-minutes. Reduce the speed to medium-low and add the egg yolk and vanilla. Increase the speed to medium and beat until blended-about 20-30 seconds.
• Reduce speed to medium-low and add molasses. Beat until incorporated, about 20 seconds.
• Set a large mesh strainer over the mixing bowl and add the flour, baking soda, spices and salt. Sift the mixture down into the batter and give it a stir with your spatula (stirring the flour in a bit will prevent it from flying out of the bowl when you start the mixer.)
• Place the mixer on the lowest setting and beat just until the flour is completely blended.
• Use a cookie scoop or a tablespoon and shape the dough in your hands forming 1-1/2 inch balls.
• Add the course sugar to a shallow dish. Roll the balls in the sugar and place them on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Leave space between each cookie.
• Bake the cookies in the preheated oven until they are browned, puffed up and the edges have begun to set while the centers are soft-about 11 minutes.
• The cookies will have those beautiful cracks and appear to be undercooked. Do not over bake, they will continue baking from residual heat once removed from the oven.
• Remove the baking sheet from the oven and leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling.

MOLASSES SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk together flour, baking soda, spices: Preheat oven to 375°F. Vigorously whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice in a bowl and set aside.
• Prepare butter, sugar, and wet ingredients: Use an electric mixer and beat the butter for 2 minutes. Add the brown sugar, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes with mixer set at medium speed. Add egg, vanilla extract, and molasses. Beat until combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula.
• Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients: Add dry ingredients and beat at low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds.
• Make dough balls, roll them in sugar: Place remaining 1/3 cup of granulated sugar in a shallow bowl. Working with 2 Tbsp of dough each time, roll dough into 1 3/4 inch balls. Roll balls in sugar and place on un-greased cookie sheets, spacing them 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart.

MOLASSES SPICE LEAVES

Steps:

• Make cookies:
• Finely grind walnuts in processor. Add 1/4 cup flour and 1/4 cup sugar and blend to powder. Using electric mixer, cream butter with brown sugar and vanilla in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in molasses and egg. Mix remaining 1 3/4 cups flour with nut mixture, spices and baking soda. Stir into butter mixture (dough will be soft). Divide dough into 2 pieces. Flatten each into disk. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter heavy large cookie sheets. On heavily floured surface, roll 1 dough piece out (keep remainder refrigerated) to thickness of 1/8 to 1/4 inch. Cut out cookies using 3-inch leaf cookie cutter. Transfer to prepared cookie sheets, spacing 1/2 inch apart. Repeat rolling and cutting with second dough piece. Gather scraps and chill 15 minutes. Reroll scraps and cut out more cookies. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Cool on racks.
• Make icing:
• Using electric mixer, beat sugar and egg whites until smooth.
• Spoon icing into pastry bag fitted with 1/16-inch round tip. Pipe icing atop cookies. Decorate with dragées. Let stand until icing sets. (Can be prepared 2 weeks ahead. Store refrigerated between layers of waxed paper in airtight container. Let stand 5 minutes at room temperature before serving.)