Cook Like Mad

I don’t know when or where I ate my first molasses cookie, but for as long as I can remember, I’ve loved them. I am forever on the quest for that perfect recipe which yields the chewy, moist, intense cookies I’ve come to crave. Most recipes I’ve tried call for either very little molasses, too much sugar, or too fluffy a batter, yielding hard, dry, and cloying cookies, but this one is the best I’ve found yet. I still believe there is a chewier recipe out there (I have this love for very chewy foods…taffy, caramel, bagels (especially Murray’s near Union Square!)…you name it), but this one has a great balance between depth of flavor and delicateness that makes you crave them more, rather than giving you a stomachache after one.

There was a recommendation on allrecipes.com, where this recipe originated, to dunk these in pumpkin dip, a recipe also found on that site. I’m guessing you don’t really need a recipe for that though, since it’s probably just a combination of pumpkin mash and marshmallow fluff, but search around if you want precise measurements. To me, the combination sounds scrumptious, and is eerily reminiscent of this recipe I posted a while back. No wonder it sounds good to me! Anyway, if you’re as big a fan as I am of these treats, you’ll be delighted to find such a foolproof, fast, and satisfying recipe as the one I’ve posted below. Feel free to experiment with oil instead of butter, all molasses instead of part molasses and part sugar, and a different combination of spices. All I ask is that if it turns out well, you let me know the changes you made so I can continue on my quest for the perfect recipe. Enjoy!

Note: I love these cookies with chocolate chunks, nuts, and other add-ins incorporated to the cookie dough. In this batch alone I was able to try out white chocolate chunks, dark chocolate chips, coconut flakes, and coarse sugar for rolling them in, and each turned out great, with it’s own unique personality. All I’m saying is, go wild; these cookies can handle the challenge as they accept a wide variety of additional flavors very well.

Molasses Cookies (adapted from this allrecipes.com recipe)

Makes 60 small cookies

• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil, such as canola
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 cup white sugar, for rolling

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or a silpat.

2. Combine butter, oil, and brown sugar in a mixing bowl and using beaters, a whisk or a stand mixer, mix ingredients for 5 minutes, until mixture lightens in color.

3. Add egg, mix until combined, then add molasses. Mix flour, baking soda, salt and spices in a separate small bowl and add slowly to wet mixture until fully incorporated. Place mixture in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up.

4. Place 1/2 cup white sugar in a small shallow bowl and using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, gather about a tablespoon of dough in your hands, roll in a ball, and toss in the sugar to coat. Place on lined baking sheet, and repeat with the rest of the dough. Place cookies about 1 inch apar, as they spread quite a bit. Press down on cookies with a flat bottomed drinking glass, so they are about 1/4 inch thick. Bake for 6-8 minutes until slightly firmer but still a little soft. There should be little change in their color, so you don’t really want them to brown. Store in an airtight container for 1 week or in the freezer, up to 3 months. Enjoy!

-M : )

Of all four seasons, autumn has the best food. Its like Goldilocks and the three (well, four..) bears: Winter’s food is too heavy, Summer (and Spring) food is too light, and Autumn’s just right. Vegetables and Fruits get the attention they deserve, and the spices are warm without being heavy, simultaneously sweet and savory. It is often a time of indulgence, as people are eager to make desserts with the apples, pears, pumpkins, and even sweet potatoes that crowd the market shelves, but our bodies are pushed back into balance by the amount of nutrients in the available food: brussel sprouts, winter squash, leeks, green beans, and broccoli, are a few that come to mind (in addition to those mentioned above, of course).

Using fruits and vegetables in desserts has always been an interest of mine. I much prefer zucchini breads, banana muffins, sweet potato pies and berry cobblers to cheesecakes, pecan pies, and other (in my opinion) more cloying treats. Produce in desserts adds depth of flavor, texture, color, and boosted nutrition. Its also a great way to help introduce kids to unfamiliar and perhaps intimidating foods.

This recipe for Pumpkin Ginger Bars is special then, in two ways: it’s in tune with the season and it includes some healthy ingredients (like molasses, cinnamon, and pumpkin). It’s also the most addictive baked good I’ve ever made. The lightness of the filling combined with the chewy, crunchy base provides a textural contrast that most desserts lack. For me, when I have pumpkin pie, I find the crust to be superfluous, unnecessary, almost a dilution of the filling’s flavor. Not so with these; the crust is made with ginger snaps, and then covered in a thin layer of caramel, pairing perfectly with the homemade pumpkin filling. The filling is incredible on its own, but you’ll never leave tasteless crust behind when you eat these. So take a little time this afternoon to appreciate and share autumn’s bounty with these Pumpkin Ginger Bars. With two of these warm from the oven, a cup of mulled cider and a good book, you’ll be fully equipped for a cozy afternoon : )

Pumpkin Ginger Bars
Makes 28 bars

For Crust:
30 2″ gingersnap cookies (I like Sweetzels brand), crushed in a food processor
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/8 cup brown sugar

For Caramel layer:
2 bags Werther’s classic chewy caramels
1/2 cup milk
3 tbsp butter

For Pumpkin filling:
1 15oz. can pumpkin puree
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/8 cup molasses

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and grease a 13 x 9 in. pan (glass works especially well).

2. Combine the cookie crumbs, butter, and brown sugar in a small bowl. Dump the mixture into the greased pan and distribute evenly over the bottom. The mixture will be very crumbly but don’t worry. Press it down lightly with your hands and make sure the crust extends to the edges of the pan.

3. Bake the crust blind for 10 minutes in the 425 degree oven to help it firm up. Don’t let it get too brown!

4. Unwrap caramels and place in a bowl over a pot of simmering water to melt. Add 1/2 cup milk and 3 tbsp butter to the bowl. Once caramels have melted, stir the mixture until it is fully incorporated and keep it over the double boiler to remain warm.

5. When the crust is ready, pour the caramel mixture over the crust and spread delicately to distribute it evenly over the crust’s surface. It will be thin, but there is exactly enough.

6. Combine all remaining ingredients in a bowl and pour over the caramel, again distributing the filling evenly.

E. Bake for 15 minutes at 425 then lower oven to 350 and finish cooking for 35 more minutes. Bars are done when the top feels firm and the filling no longer jiggles in the center.

Note: I recommend letting these cool to room temp before slicing them, and when you do slice them, make sure you use a sharp knife and press down firmly- the bottom crust is very dense. Additionally, I would refridgerate these, or they will be incredibly chewy. The fridge makes the crust crunchy rather than chewy and I tend to find them even better this way.

Enjoy!

-M : )