Yesterday I gave my co-workers Christmas gifts. I don't have many co-workers (3), and decided to make them edible treats. I had found two recipes that sounded delicious and fun, so I made Stained Glass Cookies, and Soft Ginger Cookies to give out. The stained glass cookies are more work then they are worth, but they do look really cool in the sunlight. The ginger cookies are totally delicious and easy. And, since most of the ingredients are things most kitchens have on hand, there should be very little out of pocket cost. I only had to buy two things, Jolly Ranchers and ground cloves, to complete both recipes.
Stained Glass Cookies
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon molasses
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
30-40 hard candies (such as Life Savers), preferably in several flavors/colors
Instructions:
*In a large bowl cream together butter and sugars until fluffy.
*Add molasses and vanilla extract, mixing until incorporated. Add egg and mix until light and smooth.
*mix together flour, salt, and baking powder and fold dry ingredients into wet mixture. Refrigerate dough (wrapped in plastic wrap or some way to seal air out) for at least an hour.
*Remove any wrappers on candies and separate them by color into plastic bags. Using a mallet to crush candies. (they are harder to break than you think, I ended up using the back end of a hammer and still had large chunks I couldn't fully shatter.)
*When dough is properly cooled and you are ready to bake, pre-heat the oven to 375°F, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat.
*Place dough between two large sheets of waxed paper and roll to 1/4-inch thickness.
*Use cookie cutters to cut dough into desired shapes.
*Transfer cookies to prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart.
*Then using a smaller cookie cutter or a knife, cut shapes into centers of cookies, reserving these center bits to add into extra dough.
*Use a spoon to sprinkle the crushed candy into the hollowed-out centers of the cookies, filling to the edges. Try to keep the candy within the centers. Any candy specks that fall on the cookie will color the cookie. (I ended up using the big chunks and just putting them in the center of the cookies to have them melt down. It avoided the edges really well and was easier than trying to spoon smaller bits in the cookies)
*If cookies will be hung as ornaments or decorations, poke a small hole in the top of each cookie before baking.
*Bake 9 to 10 minutes. The candy should be melted and bubbling and the cookies just barely beginning to brown.
*Remove baking sheets from oven and place on wire racks to cool. Allow cookies to cool on pans at least 10 minutes; otherwise, the candy centers may separate from the dough. When cookies are completely cooled, remove and store in an airtight container. String with ribbon if you want to hang as an ornament.
Makes 2 to 4 dozen cookies, depending on how large you make them.
I found that even with parchment paper the candy centers tended to stick and it was really hard to make sure all the paper was peeled off the back. Also,the candy centers do not even come close to filling the hole to the top, they form a thin back layer which leaves a bowl in the middle of the cookies. Overall - they look really cool, and taste pretty good, but way too much work for a regular thing.
Chewy Ginger Cookies
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses
about 1/2 cup turbinado sugar (Sugar in the Raw) (I just took a bunch of packets from Starbuck's when I was at the mall, rather than buying a box of sugar)
Instructions:
*Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. If you don't use non-stick pans then line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
*Mix the flour, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.
*In a large bowl beat the butter, brown sugar and spices until smoothly blended.
*Add the egg and molasses and mix until blended and an even light color.
* Slowly add the flour mixture, mixing just to incorporate it. (I found that stirring for a little while, and then just digging in with your hands to mix it all together worked best)
*Spread the turbinado sugar into a small bowl.
*Roll 2 Tablespoons of dough between the palms of your hands into a ball, toss the ball in sugar to coat and place on the prepared baking sheet.
*Continue making cookies, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
*Bake the cookies until the tops feel firm but they are still soft in the center and there are several large cracks on top, about 12-14 minutes.
*Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then use a wide metal spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
*The cookies can be stored in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
These cookies were really good. They were slightly crispy on the outside, but chewy and soft in the center. There wasn't too much molasses or ginger flavors to overpower the cookies, but they were still very flavorful. Based on the ease and yumminess of these I think they are going to be added to my list of regularly made cookies.
