Spicy Sugar-Crusted Ginger Cookies
This chewy spice cookie is flavored with a healthy dose of ginger, both crystallized and ground, and tangy lemon. The crystallized ginger adds texture and a bit of a sweet-hot quality and cardamom in the sugar coating brings a subtle, peppery hint to the mix.
- Ingredients:
- 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 cup applesauce
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- Zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
- For the sugar coating:
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preparation:
Whisk together the two flours, crystallized ginger, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ground ginger.
In a separate bowl, combine the applesauce, 1 cup of the sugar, the vegetable oil, grated lemon zest, lemon juice and lemon extract.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the applesauce-oil mixture into it all at one time. Gently combine the wet and dry ingredients until just blended. Don't over mix. Form the dough into a ball, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of one hour.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Place the 1/4 cup sugar in a pie plate. Add the ground ginger, cardamom and cinnamon and combine.
Lightly coat your hands with flour and form the dough into approximately 36 round balls, 1-1/2 tablespoons each. Roll the balls in the spiced sugar mixture and place 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, or until set and very lightly browned. Cool for 1 minute on the baking sheet, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Makes about 3 dozen
Recipe Notes:
If you don't have ground cardamom on hand, substitute ground cloves or omit it completely.
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light Magazine
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They so light and puffy, and the sugar-spice coating looks delicious!
(1)Posted by: lisaiscooking | Reply