CHOCOLATE-MOLASSES COOKIES

Chocolate-Molasses Cookies image

All you need to shape this dead simple dough are your hands (and maybe a helper or two). Decidedly more "grown up" in flavor - both the molasses and cocoa give bitter notes that play off the spiciness of the fresh ginger - the cookies are tiny in size by design to complement their intensity. For rolling, any coarse decorative sugar works, as would Demerara or an unrefined sugar.

Provided by Alison Roman

Time 40m

Yield About 40 cookies

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

1/2 cup/115 grams unsalted butter (1 stick)
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger (optional)
1 1/2 cups/190 grams all-purpose flour
1/2 cup/45 grams cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup/65 grams granulated sugar
1/2 cup/120 milliliters molasses
1 large egg
Sanding, Demerara or granulated sugar, for decoration

Steps:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Melt butter in a small pot over medium heat and add ginger, if using. Remove from heat and let sit a few minutes while you prepare everything else.
In a large bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger and salt.
In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, molasses, egg and ginger butter. Using a spatula, slowly mix into dry ingredients, mixing until no dry spots remain.
Using your hands, roll small balls of dough about the size of a quarter (dough will be soft - if it is too soft for you to handle, pop into the fridge for a few minutes to firm up). Roll the balls in the sanding sugar and place on the prepared baking sheets about 1-inch apart.
Bake until just puffed and baked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Let cool completely before eating.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 61, UnsaturatedFat 1 gram, Carbohydrate 9 grams, Fat 3 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 1 gram, SaturatedFat 2 grams, Sodium 67 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams, TransFat 0 grams