Thanksgiving is over, #BlackFriday and #CyberMonday have come and gone and it’s time to dive into the annual baking of the holiday cookies. The parade of visits, people visiting, and parties where you’ll need to bring something has arrived, but who want to bring the expected holiday cookies? Not me. #ThisGirlLovesToEat
Last year Wine Enthusiast published a recipe for molasses cookies that paired perfectly with a cocktail that isn’t my usual glass of red wine, bourbon on the rocks, or old fashioned, the Palmetto. Not hard to make, no fancy ingredients, and something different. Perfect!
Molasses Cookies With Lemon and Spice
- 2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 12 TBLS unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup Sugar in the Raw
- ¼ cup bootstrap molasses
- 1 large egg
For Filling
- 3 TBLS unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (8 ounces) confectioners’ sugar
- 3 TBLS lemon juice
Whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger, salt and ground cloves together in bowl. In second bowl, melt and cool ¾ cup butter, and mix with ½ cup sugar, molasses and egg, until combined. Stir flour mixture into molasses mixture. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour.
Spread ½ cup granulated Sugar in the Raw in shallow dish.
Heat oven to 375˚F. Roll dough into ¾-inch balls, then roll in Sugar in the Raw. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, and press flat. Bake until tops just begin to crack, 8–10 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through. Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Repeat with remaining dough. Let cookies cool completely.
Make filling and assemble sandwiches
Whisk butter, powdered sugar and lemon juice in bowl until smooth. Spread 1 heaping teaspoon filling over half of cookies, then top with remaining cookies, pressing lightly to adhere. Let filling set for 1 hour before serving. Makes about 42 sandwich cookies.
Palmetto Cocktail
In a mixing glass, combine:
- 1½ ounces aged rum
- 1½ ounces sweet vermouth
- 1 dash orange bitters
- ice
Stir until chilled and strain into a coupe (saucer champagne) glass. Garnish with an orange twist.
This Girl Loves to Eat! 