CHOCOLATE GINGER MOLASSES SANDWICH COOKIES
Submitted by Darrell Bickley, Centerville
COOKIE INGREDIENTS
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 cup unsulfured molasses
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon boiling water
4 tablespoons crystalized ginger, chopped
1/4 cup granulated sugar
FROSTING INGREDIENTS
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese
1 stick butter, softened slightly
1 teaspoon vanilla
5 cups powdered sugar
Decorative gems or sugar
DIRECTIONS:
1. Sift together the flour, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg and cocoa. Separately, mix together or beat with the paddle attachment on a stand mixer 2 sticks of butter until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add the brown sugar and mix/beat until combined. Add the molasses and mix/beat until combined.
2. Dissolve the baking soda in the boiling water. Mix half of the flour-spice mixture into the butter-sugar mixture. Add the baking soda mixture, then the other half of the flour-spice mixture. Mix/beat in between each step.
3. Stir the candied ginger in by hand, pat the mixture into a 1-inch thick square, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for a few hours or overnight.
4. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Cut the dough into 48 equal squares and roll these into 48 balls. Roll the dough balls in the granulated sugar and place them about 2 inches apart on parchment-paper lined baking sheets. Bake 18-22 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Bake until they start to crack.
5. Put the unbaked dough back into the refrigerator until it’s ready to go into the oven.
6. Baked cookies should cool for 5 minutes before being transferred to a wire rack to fully cool.
7. While the cookies are baking, beat the cream cheese, remaining stick of butter and vanilla until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and mix until you have a nice, fluffy frosting.
8. When the cookies are completely cool, ice one side of half the batch and sandwich them. The cookies’ iced edges can be rolled in decorative gems or sugar for a more festive look.
Enjoy!
Credit: DaytonDailyNews
Judges’ comments: Director of Digital Content and taste-tester, Ron Rollins literally shouted at the taste of this cookie, “Shazaam! That’s a good cookie!”
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