Cookie dough:
Finishing*:3/4 cup coconut oil (or butter, or shortening)
1 cup dark muscovado sugar (or plain ol' dark brown sugar)
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 t salt
2 t baking soda
1 T ground ginger
1 t ground cinnamon
1 t cardamom
1/2 t ground cloves
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1 large egg
1/3 cup molasses
1/4 c sugar (light brown or white work fine)Directions:
1 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground ginger
1/2 t cardamom
Set racks to the middle of oven and preheat to 350°F.
In a medium sized bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Stir well to mix.
In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and at medium speed, cream together coconut oil and sugar for about 5 minutes.
Add the egg and continue beating until smooth.
Lower speed and beat in half the dry ingredients, then add the molasses.
If necessary, stop the mixer and scrape down bowl and beater with a silicone spatula.
Then add remaining dry ingredients, mixing until well combined.
Remove bowl from mixer and, if necessary, use a large silicone spatula to finish mixing the dough.
In a shallow bowl, combine sugar and spice mixture for cookie coating.
Use a teaspoon or small scoop to scoop out 1-inch diameter pieces of dough. Roll into balls, then roll in the sugar mixture.
Place the balls of dough on parchment lined cookie sheets, leaving about 1 1/2 inches all around to allow for spreading.
Bake for 12 minutes (longer for a crisper cookie- but in my oven on my old school IKEA cookie sheets, 12 mins gives me the perfect crisp outside/chewy inside combo). The cookies will spread and crack on the surface.
Slide the papers from the pans onto cooling racks. Store the cooled cookies between sheets of parchment or waxed paper in an air-tight container.
Yield: 3 dozen cookies, depending on size
*Note: add a pinch (or whatever) of cayenne to the finishing mixture for even MORE kick!
This recipe mash-up borrows heavily from Food Network and King Arthur Flour, with a little help from Brannon.
