Description
Adapted from the Maple Gingersnap Cookie recipe in the Holiday Cookies Bake From Scratch magazine.
Changes I’ve made to the recipe include using melted butter as opposed to softened, one bowl to mix, a slightly larger cookie size, and a lower baking temperature.
Notes:
- For best results, use a scale to measure. I use the scale both for measuring the ingredients and for portioning the batter into 14 equal balls.
- Molasses: Upon setting out to make these cookies, I found two bottles of molasses in my pantry and I made a batch with each. Conclusion: Do not use blackstrap molasses, which will make your cookies more cake-like in texture and unpleasantly dark in color. Regular molasses or “fancy” is what you need.
- I find chilling the batter necessary after mixing it to allow the batter to firm up and make it easy to portion into balls. After this, I do not find it necessary to chill the portions to prevent spreading. If you are finding that your cookies are spreading, try chilling the portions for at least one hour before baking. You also can chill the balls for longer if that works better for your schedule.
- The material of your sheet pan could also be causing your cookies to spread more. I find my old, slightly blackened pans cause the cookies to brown more on the bottom but spread less. My new sheet pans cause the cookies to brown less and spread a little more.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup (165 g) packed brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons (63 g) maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons (42 g) molasses, see notes above
- 1/2 teaspoon (2 g) kosher salt or fine sea salt
- 1 egg (50 g)
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 2 teaspoons (4 g) ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated if possible
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) baking soda
- 2 cups (260 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup turbinado or granulated sugar
Instructions
- Melt the butter over low heat and let cool slightly, about 15 minutes.
- In a large bowl whisk together the butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, molasses, and salt.
- Add the egg and vanilla and whisk to combine.
- Add the spices and baking soda and whisk until thoroughly combined.
- Finally, fold in the flour with a spatula. The dough should form a ball, but it will be wet and sticky. If your dough is more like the texture of batter, add more flour a couple tablespoons at a time until it comes together.
- Chill the batter for 30 minutes to allow it to firm up and make it easier to portion into balls.
- Heat the oven to 350ºF.
- Use a scoop or a scale to portion the batter roughly into 14 portions. If using a scale, portion the batter into 50-gram balls. If using a scoop, use a 3-tablespoon spring-loaded scoop or something similar.
- Use your hands to roll each portion into a ball. Place the turbinado sugar or granulated sugar into a bowl. Drop each ball into the bowl and turn to coat.
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Transfer the sugar-coated balls to a sheet pan, being sure to leave enough space in between each ball. On my 1/2 sheet pan, I bake 5 balls at a time. As noted above, I do not find it necessary to chill the portioned balls to prevent spreading, but if you are nervous, bake off one cookie on its own to see how it does. If it spreads more than you would like, chill the remaining portions for at least 1 hour before baking them off.
- Transfer pan to the oven and bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes. The cookies will look browned around the edges and will be puffed in the center. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a cooling rack. If you wish to create ripples at the edges, pick up the pan and drop it two or three times. Let the cookies cool completely on the sheet pan, at least 20 minutes.
- Repeat with the remaining cookie dough balls or transfer the unbaked balls to the fridge until ready to bake.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American