Day 2: Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

I almost forgot how hectic baking 12 days of cookies before Christmas is. Basically, I have to update about a cookie approximately every two days. That means I’m already off schedule! Oh, shoot. I’ve been busy catching good deals online and thinking about what gift I should get for the bf. Anyone have any good ideas of what to get a boy for Christmas? Help a girl out. 🙂

Day 2 of my twelve days of cookies: Oh, hey Martha Stewart. You have some great ideas for just about everything. I don’t know how you do it, but boy do I love it. This is only my fourth cookie that I’ve tried from the book by Martha Stewart, Cookies. They were everything that they were described to be.. chewy, chocolate-y, and gingerbread-y. They baked perfectly and held their shape. Personally, I’m not a fan of the taste of molasses so these cookies didn’t tickle my fancy. My boyfriend, on the other hand, rather enjoyed them and sneaked bites by every now and then. Molasses has a very distinct taste that is just too strong for me, so I’ll avoid it for now. Maybe it’s an acquired taste and I’ll eventually learn to love it….

Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies
Makes 2 dozen

Ingredients

• 7 ounces best-quality semisweet chocolate
• 1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 1/2 cup dark-brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Chop chocolate into 1/4-inch chunks; set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cocoa.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and grated ginger until whitened, about 4 minutes. Add brown sugar; beat until combined. Add molasses; beat until combined.
3. In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in 1 1/2 teaspoons boiling water. Beat half of flour mixture into butter mixture. Beat in baking-soda mixture, then remaining half of flour mixture. Mix in chocolate; turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Pat dough out to about 1 inch thick; seal with plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats. Roll dough into 2-inch balls; place 2 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Roll dough balls in granulated sugar and return to baking sheets. Transfer to oven and bake until surfaces crack slightly, about 18 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.