Nothing smells better (or more like the holidays…) than Ginger Spice Cookies baking in the oven. When we had friends over for dinner over Thanksgiving weekend, I served a couple of these mini cookies with Salted Caramel Gelato. I like serving cookies and ice cream for a dinner party because it is casual, and not to mention easy. It isn’t an over the top, overly rich, dramatic dessert that sends everyone over the limit, but it is a sort of comfort food dessert that everyone loves. Our friends that came for dinner texted Mike last night for the recipe, so I thought I’d share this morning! The recipe is based on the Barefoot Contessa’s Ultimate Ginger Cookie recipe, but with a few adjustments.
Ginger Spice Cookies
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 brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup unsulfured molasses
1 egg
sugar, for rolling the cookies
In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the brown sugar, oil, and molasses on medium speed for 5 minutes. Add the egg, and beat for 1 minute. With the mixer still on low, slowly add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and salt and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Make small balls (1 inch in diameter) with a scoop or with a spoon. Roll them into a ball with your hands, then press both sides of each cookie in granulated sugar and place them on the sheet pans. Bake at 350 for 6-8 minutes. They should look soft when they come out of the oven.
