Posts tagged ‘KitchenAid mixer’

last Saturday night can be summed up simply: dreary. rainy. cold. Winnie, observing the weather with disdain, had gone to bed early—flipped on her back, with legs protruding in the air. i could hear Elroy snoring deeply and rhythmically. to combat a total case of where-the-heck-did-summer-go blues, i decided to switch the remote to Ghost, crank up the KitchenAid stand mixer and whip up a batch of one of my favorite foul (um, i mean fall)-weather treats: chewy ginger cookies.

as soon as the first batch’s spicy scent began to permeate the family room, i started to feel a whole lot better. i made a cup of tea. put a few cookies on a plate. and contentedly settled in to watch one of my favorite modern-day classics. the love inside, you take it with you. grateful that you also leave some of it behind.

Chewy Ginger Cookies
from Country Inn and Bed and Breakfast Cookbook
makes 4-dozen cookies

INGREDIENTS

2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses

4 1/2 to 5 cups unbleached organic flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ginger
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

turbinado sugar for rolling

DIRECTIONS

1. preheat oven to 350F.
2. in a mixer with paddle attachment, cream together sugar, butter, eggs and molasses.
3. in a separate bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients.
4. add dry ingredients to creamed mixture, until a dough forms.
5. create small, walnut-size dough balls, and roll each in sugar.
6. place about 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper.
7. bake for 8 – 10 minutes, or until crinkled and slightly brown.

these easy-to-make cookies retain their spicy, sugary, buttery essence in an air-tight container—ideal to send to faraway family members and friends. if they’re really, really nice to you.