SENSATIONAL SPICY GINGER COOKIES, no butter

Not quite 'For Men Only' but definitely appeals to the sophisticated cookie muncher...

  first posted 2016; updated 5/23

Spicy Ginger Cookies, darkly delicious
'a gaggle of men were seen scoffing these, making happy humming noises!'
  

These cookies, adapted from Ina Garten to reduce sugar levels, are dark and gloriously spicy, like a biscuit version of gingerbread.  The blogger has seen a gaggle of men happily scoffing them while making humming noises!  

As well as candied ginger, the recipe calls for molasses/treacle. Molasses gives the cookies their distinctive yumminess but also adds iron, calcium and a host of other beneficial minerals. It's also sweeter than sugar, so you need less. 

Kids might not like the spiciness but a batch of easily-put- together Chocolate Shortbread, with or without smarties, should quell any potential riots. 

An electric hand mixer or stand-alone mixer is essential for this recipe.  

   

Cost: £3.25'ish (5/2023)

Makes: at least 12 large, 24 small

Ingred:

   

   1/3 cup/75ml molasses/ black treacle)

   175gm/6.2oz dark brown sugar   
   1/4 cup/60ml sunflower oil

   1 extra large egg (63gm/2.25oz)
   1 tsp vanilla extract

   215gm/7.5oz white flour

   100gm/3.5 wholemeal flour   

    1/4 tsp salt

   1 tsp baking soda

   2 tsp cinnamon
   1 1/2 tsp cloves 

   1/2 tsp dried ginger

   1/2 tsp nutmeg

  

Left: crystallised ginger
Right: ginger in syrup    

3/4 c/100 gm crystallized ginger (preferred), or drained ginger in syrup, in small dice (the ginger from syrup makes the cookies much sweeter)

Method:

1. Preheat Oven to 180 c/350F  
2. Line two cookie trays with greaseproof paper
3. Mix flours, salt, baking soda and spices in a bowl 
4. In a good-sized bowl, beat sugar & molasses until blended; add oil and beat continuously - a good 5-10 mins with electric beater - until fluffy 
5. Add egg & vanilla; beat till blended
6. Add dry ingred in halves; beat till blended - the dough will be very thick
7. Stir in candied ginger, beating slowly till blended
8. For large biscuits: use a 35 ml (standard) ice-cream scoop or spoon to drop dough onto a baking tray lined with greaseproof or parchment paper; they need a little room but not much
9. Make an indentation in the centre of the cookie with your thumb 
10. For smaller biscuits, use a 20 ml scoop/spoon 
11. Bake 12-15 mins

Tips:

• Crystallised ginger & ginger in syrup is available at major supermarkets & some street stalls 

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This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.