Doubly Spiced Molasses Cookies

Doubly Spiced Molasses Cookies

(makes 2 dozen cookies)

My husband LOVES molasses cookies (and so do I!) so naturally our child is genetically destined to love them as well. I have tinkered with my molasses cookie recipe a lot over the last decade trying to find the perfect balance of chewiness, deliciousness and healthfulness (as much as a cookie can be). I've put one version of them on IBB ( Mmmmmmolasses Cookies ). They were good but I think they were too heavily weighted towards the 'healthfulness' requirement. With this new recipe I tried to get a more balanced cookie. This attempt was perfection in the deliciousness department, satisfactory in healthfulness but NOT perfection in texture. I like a chewy molasses cookie (think Dancing Deer brand). These were kind of cakey. Again, they taste really, really yummy but they are not chewy like I like them. Is it because I used whole wheat flour? Is it the brown sugar (as opposed to white sugar)? Any thoughts on how I can get them chewier would be appreciated.

Ingredients:

3/4 c butter, melted

1/2 c. dark brown sugar

1/2 c. B grade REAL maple syrup (Grade B, sometimes called Cooking Syrup, is made late in the season, and is very dark, with a very strong maple flavor, as well as some caramel flavor. Although many people use this for table syrup; because of its strong flavor, it's often used for cooking, baking, and flavoring in special foods.)

1 tsp. grated fresh ginger (tip: I recently read in a magazine that you can store fresh ginger root in the freezer and grate it frozen as needed!)

1 egg

1c. all-purpose flour

1c. whole wheat flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 c. white sugar

Instructions:

1. In a medium mixing bowl combine the melted butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, egg and grated ginger.

2. In a separate bowl, sift together the flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cloves.

3. Gradually stir in the flour mixture to the wet mixture until well combined.

4. Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

6. Use a small cookie dough scoop to scoop out balls of dough. Roll in hands to make round.

7. Roll balls in white sugar to coat. Place 2" apart on a parchment paper cookie sheet.

8. Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet for a couple minutes and then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!