The Perfect Molasses Ginger Cookie

Write when the inspiration is hot, right? Last week I set out on a mission: to bake the PERFECT ginger cookie. Not a ginger snap, no these cookies were to be soft and chewy little morsels spiked with gingery heat, gentle notes of cinnamon and a hearty dose of molasses. 

I tried two recipes. The first not being quite what I had hoped for prompted a second attempt and the recipe was a great success, toothsome morsels ringing with ginger, soaked in molasses.  I packed them up to bring over to the opening of a friend's new boutique in Kensington. When I arrived the store looked great, with freshly painted walls, and racks of vintage clothing Sarah had collected over the years. Beautiful dresses, tops, jeans, sweaters all meticulously stacked and hung around the glowing space.


As I mingled with a friend, I reached across the table to grab a cookie (actually I was grabbing at a chocolate chip, not a ginger one) and nibbled while we talked. Suddenly I noticed heat building on my right hip. How odd I thought as I glanced down to my hip to catch the flaming culprit. To my horror, the hem of my top was on fire. Panicked I grabbed the dress and began beating it on my hip as the entire store went silent and the 15 or so patrons stared in wide eyed disbelief as I struggled to suffocate my burning dress.


As soon as the fire was out I started laughing hysterically, and people continued to stare, I was so embarassed, but I knew that if I didn't stop laughing I would surely have burst into tears. As I had leaned across the table to steal a cookie my top had dipped into the flame of a tea light. The dress was ruined by the fire, and the wine I spilled down the front in my fury to save my own life, but the cookies were still delicious, and surely worth a try.

Perfect Molasses Ginger Cookies

Ingredients
2 1/4 cups sifted whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp ground ginger
3 tsp fresh ginger, grated
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 tbs lemon juice
1/4 plus 2 tbs molasses

Method
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl mix dry ingredients. Sift flour and sprinkle on baking soda, cinnamon, dried ginger and salt and set mixture aside. In a separate bowl mix butter, sugar, grated ginger, molasses, lemon juice, and egg and mix together until thick and creamy. Pour in dried ingredients and mix until a soft ball of dough forms. Spoon out dough and roll into small balls, about 1 inch in diameter, placing ball formations onto a greased baking sheet. Bake in the oven until golden brown (about 10 minutes). Remove from oven,and enjoy with a hot cup of tea or a cold glass of milk.