by Ethan Johnson
December 29, 2006

Today was an exceptionally lousy weather day. On the one hand, we need all the rain we can get. On the other, preferably not all at once. When the day is gloomy and not at all fun, it's time to crack open a bottle of molasses and bake:

Molasses-Spice Cookies

Recipe adapted from Everyday Food magazine online. (Thanks to Kristen at gezellig-girl.com for the recipe and inspiration.)

2 cups all-purpose flour (NOT self-rising)
1 1/2 tsps baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
1 1/2 sticks softened unsalted butter
1 large egg
1/4 cup light OR full-flavored molasses (I used full for this example)

(Yields about 36 cookies, depending on the size of the cookie balls before baking.)

1. We begin by preheating the oven to 350F.

2. Pour the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a medium bowl. Whisk ingredients to blend and set aside.

   

   

3. Using the bowl for a stand mixer (ideally), add 1 cup of the sugar and all of butter. Reserve the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar in a small bowl and set aside.

   

   A word about the butter softness: If you can make a thumbprint in the butter sticks, and they hold their shape and are not melty or warped, the butter is ready. If you really have to mash your thumb into the butter, it is too cold. If melty or warped, it is too warm.

4. Beat the butter and sugar until combined. I did this on a fairly low speed (3 max with a stand mixer).

   

5. Add the egg and molasses to the combined ingredients. Hint: You know what "they" say about molasses in January. Be prepared for a bit of a wait for the full amount of molasses to slide into the mixing bowl.

   

   

6. Beat in the egg and molasses until combined. I did this on a low speed again. We're not looking for whipped cream here, just blended enough.

   

7. Slowly "feather" in the dry ingredients (flour, etc) and blend until a dough forms. It will look kind of chalky, which is OK.

   

   

8. Roll the dough into tablespoon-sized balls. Roll the balls in the reserved sugar to coat. Set them on an ungreased, ideally aluminum (shiny) cookie sheet about 3 inches apart (12 to a sheet).

   

9. Bake for 7 minutes in the lower third of your oven (well, our oven anyway). Turn the sheet 180 degrees around (front to back) and bake for 7 more minutes.

10. Remove sheet from oven, and set aside to cool (about 2-3 minutes). Use a metal spatula to transfer the cookies to cooling racks. Or dig right in, as I am wont to do.

11. Come 'n git it!

Enjoy! Let me know how it turns out. <EM>

(The full, ever-expanding In the Kitchen recipe list may be found here, if you take a notion.)