Chocolate Gingersnaps

I normally follow recipes very closely to avoid any surprises at the end. This week for some reason my creativity blossomed and I decided to step out of my comfort zone a bit and try to improve a cookie that I already love. Gingersnaps are one of those classic cookies that just about everyone loves. Perfect for dunking into a cup of hot tea or a glass of milk, the spicy gingersnap belongs in the Cookie Hall of Fame.

At some point while I was measuring out the spices for the cookie I said to my self, "self, what if I add some dutch processed cocoa powder to the dough?" So I did. The result was a nice combination of subtle chocolate mixed with the spice of the ginger and cloves. I diced up some candied ginger and garnished the top of each cookie before popping them in the oven. When the cookies came out of the oven I added some white sanding sugar for a festive touch.

The cookies came out wonderfully, just as I had hoped. They are darker than traditional gingersnaps, but still pack that ginger punch. The candied ginger on top not only looks great, but adds some additional ginger flavor and sweetness to the cookie.

Try these and let me know what you think. Would you add more chocolate? More spices? I'd love for you to add comments below.

This Gingersnaps recipe is from Epicurious.com with my additions noted.

Chocolate Gingersnaps

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter
1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
1 egg
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Candied ginger for garnish, chopped finely

In a large bowl sift together 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, and spices. Whisk in brown sugar.
In a small saucepan melt butter and whisk into flour mixture with molasses and egg until combined well. With a wooden spoon, stir in remaining 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour until combined well. Chill dough until firm, at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Roll level tablespoons of dough into balls and in a small bowl roll balls in granulated sugar to coat. Arrange balls about 2 inches apart on baking sheets and gently press each with the bottom of a glass to flatten slightly. Top each cookie with a few pieces of candied ginger pressing down slightly.

Bake 10 - 12 minutes until cookies have puffed slightly. When removed from the oven, cookies will collapse slightly and contain little cracks. While cookies are still hot, sprinkle lightly with white sanding sugar. Cool cookies on sheets for 2 - 3 minutes more and then transfer to cooling racks.

Cookies keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 5 days.

Cookie press rating: 4 cookies (out of 5)

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies With Cream Cheese Filling

Chilly days lead to warm thoughts of autumnal flavors simmering on the stove or baking in the oven. This time of year I love to make butternut squash soup, apple pies, spice cake, and anything with pumpkin. I usually can't wait for Thanksgiving Day to dig in to a homemade pumpkin pie so two weeks ago I made one and devoured it with Mike's help in three days. As I was finishing the last few bites of pie I started thinking about what else I could make using pumpkin.

I searched the web and quickly found a recipe for pumpkin whoopie pies on Martha's site and was amazed, no shocked, to find that it was not a Martha original. She credited Matt Lewis of Baked Bakery in Brooklyn for the recipe. I guess even Martha has a few "go-to" people for great cookie recipes.

I brought these to a family party celebrating my uncle's 60th birthday and they were a big hit. The cake is very moist and spiced with generous amounts of cinnamon, ginger and cloves. The cream cheese filling is a perfect complement. While sweet, it balances perfectly with the pumpkin-spice cake.

I think I'll make them to bring along on Thanksgiving Day when Mike and I make the trek to Long Island for our feast!

Baker's Note: Be sure to use pure canned pumpkin in a 15 ounce can, not something in a similar can called pumpkin pie filling. The latter has spices already mixed in and will lead to an over-spiced cake. At the start, open the cans of pumpkin, place in a bowl, and set in the refrigerator to chill. Finally, if you don't have a pastry bag to pipe the filling, don't stress. I used a spoon to gently dollop the filling onto each cookie.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies With Cream Cheese Filling

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cloves
1 cups firmly packed dark-brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 cups pumpkin puree, chilled
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream-Cheese Filling

3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
8 ounces (1 package) cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Cookies:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves; set aside. In another large bowl, whisk together brown sugar and oil until well combined. Add chilled pumpkin puree and whisk until combined. Add eggs and vanilla and whisk until well combined. Sprinkle flour mixture over pumpkin mixture and whisk until fully incorporated.

Using a small ice cream scoop with a release mechanism, drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. Transfer to oven and bake until cookies are just starting to crack on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of each cookie comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely on pan.

Make the Filling:
Sift confectioners' sugar into a medium bowl, set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth. Add cream cheese and beat until well combined. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla, beat just until smooth. Filling can be made a day in advance. Cover and refrigerate; let stand at room temperature to soften before using.

Assemble Whoopie Pies:
Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Transfer filling to a pasty bag or a plastic bag, snipping off the end. When cookies have cooled completely, pipe a large dollop of filling onto the flat side of one cookie and sandwich with the flat side of another cookie. Press down slightly so the filling spreads toward the edge of the cookies. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and refrigerate cookies for at least 30 minutes before serving. Best eaten within 3 days.


Cookie press rating: 5 cookies! (out of 5) A perfect score!

Pecan Biscotti

I don't know about you, but I like to dip crunchy cookies into tea or milk and then gobble them down just before they start to disintegrate and fall to the bottom of my cup. Most often the cookie that fits the bill is biscotti. If you like to improvise when you bake, you'll like making biscotti. Once you get the wet and dry ingredients mixed, feel free to add various kinds of nuts, chocolate chips, dried cranberries and extracts. As my mother always says, "whatever floats your boat." I wouldn't go hog wild by adding many varieties of nuts or flavorings in a single batch. Remember when you mixed too many paint colors in elementary school and ended up with an ugly brown? That's what will happen here. You'll have too many competing flavors and a cookie that will be ready for the trash can.

Biscotti literally means twice cooked in Italian and that's exactly what you do. It's easiest to make biscotti using a food processor. If you don't have one you could always use one of those pesky Bed, Bath & Beyond 20% off coupons that clog your mailbox. Head over to the Beyond department and treat yourself.

If you don't want to invest in a food processor, you can still make biscotti. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until well mixed and then add the wet ingredients.

This recipe for pecan biscotti is adapted from the book, got milk? the cookie book, by Peggy Cullen. This book has great photos and many wonderful cookie recipes. It also provides the basics of cookie making and troubleshooting tips in an easy and fun format.

Pecan Biscotti

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup plus 1 t sugar
1 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
3/4 t cinnamon
1/2 stick cold, unsalted butter
2 large eggs
1 t vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups toasted pecans (toast on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes, shaking pan once or twice)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease lightly with butter.

In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, combine flour with 1 cup of sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pulse about five times to blend the dry ingredients. Cut butter into small cubes and add to dry ingredients. Pulse 10 to 15 times in one second intervals until butter pieces are very small, but still visible.

In a small bowl, lightly beat eggs and vanilla. Pour over the dry ingredients. Pulse a few more times to blend. Scrape the sides and bottom of bowl with a rubber spatula. Add 1 1/2 cups toasted pecans (whole or pieces) and pulse about three to five more times. Tip: don't chop the nuts too finely or they will disappear in the dough and you want some large pieces to remain. Dough should be moist and even in color.

Turn dough out onto table and gather into one ball, making sure to moisten any dry spots by using the heel of your hand to mix dough. Divide dough into two equal parts.

Form each into a 12 inch log. Transfer logs to the prepared baking sheet, leaving ample room for each to spread as they bake. Flatten logs so each is about 2 inches wide. Sprinkle logs with a mixture of cinnamon sugar (1/4 t cinnamon and 1 t granulated sugar).


Baked logs


Cut log


Back in the oven

Bake for 30 minutes. Log should begin to turn golden. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 5 - 10 minutes. Leave oven on.

Transfer logs to a cutting board. Using a large, sharp knife (a chef's knife works well), cut each log crosswise on a diagonal, each piece 1/2 inch thick. It's important not to let the logs cool too much or it will be impossible to cut the cookies without major crumbling. Arrange cookies cut side up on the baking sheets and bake 7 to 10 minutes, until the cookies begin to brown slightly. Do not overbake. Remove from oven and let cool completely and harden on baking sheet.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days.


Cookie Press Review

I'm a huge fan of these crunchy, cinnamony, pecany, cookies. Full of flavor, I could eat them by the dozen (and have!). These are adult cookies. I doubt kids would find them too satisfying since they are not overly sweet.

Cookie press rating: 4 cookies (out of five)