NomNom: Molasses Cookies

I hope I'm not the only one that is feeling all sorts of alarmed that Christmas is less than a week away. How did that even happen?! I love the holidays around this time but for some reason I feel like Christmas this year creeped up way faster than usual which has me doing the last minute holiday scramble which includes baking holiday cookies!

I've been on a spice kick lately which has transcended to my dessert cravings, so allow me to introduce to you today's most soft, chewy, and perfectly spiced molasses cookies. If these don't scream holiday cookies to you then…we can't be friends. Heart you.

There's a wonderful harmony of ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and sugar that blend so well together in these cookies that it's hard to eat just one. The lack of self control I have at times had me inhale three cookies in a row after impatiently watching them cool. Classy, I know.

I'd like to think that the flavors in these cookies are an homage to this holiday season and since Christmas is right around the corner it only makes sense to bake them today. Or this weekend. Basically, soon.

These molasses cookies. Glass of milk/hot chocolate. Watching cheesy, holiday movies (my favorites are Elf and The Holiday) in your PJs.

Have a great weekend. Xo.


Ingredients (Adapted from All Recipes) Yields: 30 cookies
3/4 cup softened unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1.5 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup sugar

Procedure
1. In a medium bowl, mix together the softened butter, 1 cup brown sugar, and egg until smooth. Stir in the molasses. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger; blend into the molasses mixture. Cover, and chill dough for 1 hour.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Roll dough into walnut sized balls and roll them in the white sugar. Flatten gently with your palm or smooth bottom of glass cup. Place cookies 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.

3. Bake for 7-9 minutes in the oven, until tops are cracked (recommend 7-8 min for soft and chewy texture). Cool on wire racks. 

NomNom: Peppermint Bar Cookies

Every year around this time, I look forward to seasonal treats such as ordering a skim white chocolate peppermint mocha from Starbucks, baking gingerbread cookies, and treating myself to peppermint bark from Williams-Sonoma. Oh Lordy, don't get me started on those...

I had a Christmas party to attend to last weekend and the guests were asked to bring an appetizer or a dessert. I always have a hard time with those requests because the first thing I want to make is always some appetizer dish, but than the ones I want to make are best when eaten hot out of the oven and the lazy part in me doesn't feel like bringing ingredients to assemble at the party house. So I chose a dessert. Again. I have to confess that this was my first time baking these cookies and was crossing my fingers and toes that they would turn out tasty because a) I'd be screwed for the party and b) wouldn't have a holiday post to share with you. But crossing my toes must've worked because they turned out to be fabulous. These are a twist on the usual peppermint bark because it involves marshmallows and sugar cookie dough but that's okay because sometimes you need to mix things up a little. Change is good.

These sugar cookie bars are topped with marshmallows, white chocolate and crushed peppermint candies. It's like Christmas in your mouth, no joke.

For some reason this picture makes me smile. The marshmallows and white chocolate morsels look so cute together.

What is it about the flavors of peppermint and white chocolate together that makes it taste so good? It's like a burst of fresh holiday air every time you bite into these. Sigh. So major.

Oh and one more thing. This recipe is easy. Like baking for dummies easy. It calls for the ready-to bake sugar cookie dough so basically you don't have to really make anything...more like assemble. I was in a time crunch so this recipe was kinda perfect and hopefully it'll work out for you too if you don't have time to slave in the kitchen. Just pretend like you did when you bust out these peppermint bars. Have a great weekend.

Recipe (adapted from Sandra Lee Christmas 2010 magazine)
1 (16.5-ounce) package refrigerated ready-to-bake sugar cookie dough (I used Pillsbury)
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1/3 cup white chocolate morsels (I used Nestle)
1/3 cup crushed hard peppermint candies

Procedure
1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9x9-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, allowing foil to extend over sides of pan. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Using your hands, press dough evenly into the bottom of prepared pan.
3. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Remove from oven, and immediately sprinkle with marshmallows and morsels. Bake for 3 to 4 minutes longer, or until marshmallows are puffed. Sprinkle with crushed candy. Cool completely in pan (about 1 hour).
4. To serve, lift foil to remove uncut bars from pan. Place on a cutting board. Fill a pitcher with hot water. Place a long, sharp knife in pitcher. Using warm knife, cut into 9 large squares. (Mine yielded 14 squares).