Soft Ginger Cookies

Ginger cookies are one of my favorite cookies, but I don't like when they come out dry or crunchy.  This recipe is great if you love ginger cookies, but want them to be soft!

Printable Version

Ingredients
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2-1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
Additional sugar

Directions
1.  In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and molasses. 

2.  Combine the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well.
3.  Roll into 1-1/2-in. balls, then roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. 

4.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until puffy and lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. 

Source:  Taste of Home

Chocolate Mint Dreams

Printable Version

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

3 cups flour

2 cups chocolate chips

Icing:

6 tablespoons butter, softened

3 cups powdered sugar

3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

4-5 drops green food coloring

4-6 tablespoons milk

Drizzle:

1 cup chocolate chips

1 tablespoon butter

Directions:

1.  In a large bowl, cream butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in chocolate and peppermint extract.
2.  Gradually add flour and mix well.  Stir in chocolate chips.

3.  Drop by tablespoon on baking sheets.

4.  Bake for 6-8 minutes or until firm.

5.  For the icing, combine butter, powdered sugar, peppermint extract, food coloring, and enough milk to achieve desired consistency.  Spread over cooled cookies.

6.  For drizzle, melt chocolate chips and shortening.  Stir until smooth.  Drizzle over cookies.

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Well, the Christmas season is officially upon us, and I LOVE Christmas cookies.  I was searching around for something new I could try this year, and came across these lovely, tasty things!  The inside is a crunchy, chocolate mint cookie (similar to a girl scout thin mint cookie), and to top it off, covered in white chocolate!  The original recipe calls for sprinkled candy canes on top, which I'm sure is PHENOMENAL, but I didn't happen to have any and settled for some sprinkles :).  I thought these were a delicious, fun, unique cookie to make.  They do take a more time and effort than your average cookie, but they taste great.  Enjoy!

Printable Version

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 ounces (5 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
3/4 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
8 large candy canes or 30 peppermint candies, crushed
2 pounds white chocolate, coarsely chopped 

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed for 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium-low, and add egg, then yolk, beating well after each addition. Beat in peppermint extract. Slowly add flour mixture, and beat until just incorporated. Shape dough into 2 disks, wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days).
2. Roll out 1 disk of dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Using a 2-inch round cutter, cut out circles, and place 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Roll and cut scraps once. Freeze cookies until firm, about 15 minutes. Repeat with remaining disk.
3. Bake until cookies are dry to the touch, about 12 minutes. Transfer parchment, with cookies, to wire racks, and let cool. (Undecorated cookies will keep, covered, for up to 3 days.
4. Sift crushed candy, and separate larger pieces from dust, reserving both. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of gently simmering water. Remove from heat. Dunk cookies into melted chocolate. Using a fork, turn to coat, let excess drip off, and gently scrape bottom against edge of bowl. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, and sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of either candy pieces or dust on top. Repeat, sprinkling half the cookies with pieces and the rest with dust. Refrigerate until set, up to 3 hours. Decorated cookies are best served the same day.

Source:  Martha Stewart