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Desserts: Chuck's Molasses Cookies

Source of Recipe

Williams Sonoma


List of Ingredients

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup dark molasses

ICING:
2 1/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar


Recipe

Have all ingredients at room temperature. To make the cookies, over a sheet of waxed paper, sift together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and salt; sift two more times and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the shortening, butter and brown sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 4 minutes; stop the mixer occasionally and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg and molasses and continue beating until blended, 1 to 2 minutes more; stop the mixer occasionally and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour mixture and beat until just blended and no lumps of flour remain. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, shape it into a ball and divide in half. Shape each half into a 5-inch disk. Cover separately with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or as long as overnight.

Position a rack in the center of an oven and preheat to 350ºF. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets. On a lightly floured surface, roll out half the dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Using cookie cutters, cut out cookies and transfer to the prepared baking sheets. Gather scraps of dough into a ball and continue rolling out dough and cutting cookies. Bake until the cookies are lightly browned around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to wire racks and cool for 5 minutes. Using a spatula, transfer cookies to racks to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough.

To make the royal icing, in the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the confectioners' sugar, egg whites, vanilla and cream of tartar on high speed until the mixture is glossy and stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. It is best to use the frosting immediately. To tint with food coloring, use a toothpick to apply a tiny bit of color at a time. You can always add more. Beat in the color until evenly dispersed. Decorate the cookies as desired with royal icing, colored sugars and decorating pens. Makes 10 to 20 cookies, depending on cutter size.