Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies

For me, the holidays have always been about cookies.

From the time I was little, I can remember the magic of seeing glorious trays of my Nan's Christmas baking — wondering which cookies to choose and how to figure out my personal favourite (then hiding them away from the rest of the family).

Holidays meant walking up to the cookies and taking what I wanted (without being told, "No more treats!"). I would eat myself full of cookies, but never once felt sick. It was the magic of Christmas.

In my house, I pass that magic on to my family: my giant cookie platter goes out starting the week before Christmas. It too is stocked with many of the glorious confections from my childhood — and some I've added along the way.

I mail cookies to friends, share with neighbours and keep my house filled to the brim with the warmth those holiday treats bring (can you tell it's my favourite thing?). I love to share the love that went into them. For me, it really isn't the holidays without some cookies.

I change up my cookies and treats every year, but there are two recipes that are always in the rotation: my ginger molasses cookies (inspired by my grandma's recipe) and maple fudge. In fact, I actually made both these recipes as part of The Great Canadian Baking Show: the chewy ginger molasses cookies came with me to the audition, and my Grandma's maple fudge was used as a topper on my maple cream doughnuts during Canada Week.

Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter (soft)
1/4 cup shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg (room temperature)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp cooking molasses
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
Additional sugar for rolling cookies. I always use raw sugar here.

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two cookie trays with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, cream butter, shortening and sugar until light, fluffy and starts to lighten in colour. Mix in molasses, egg and vanilla. Beat until fully incorporated.

In a small bowl, combine flour, spices, baking soda and salt. Slowly add the dry mixture into the wet ingredients, mix until fully incorporated.

Roll about 2 tbsp of prepared cookie dough into a ball, then roll in sugar. Place on prepared cookie trays, gently flatten with two fingers. Repeat with all remaining cookie dough.

Bake in preheated oven for about 10-12 minutes (turning halfway through), until cookies are turning slightly brown and puffy. Remove sheet from oven, let cool 5 minutes, then place on wire rack to fully cool. 

Baked cookies also freeze well for about a month!

Recipe prepared and tested by Terri Thompson.