This traditional festive cookie incorporates whole wheat flour to provide a fibre boost without compromising flavour or texture.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (250 mL) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (250 mL) packed golden yellow sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) 100% pure fancy molasses
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) iodized sea salt
- 1 1/2 cups (275 mL) whole wheat flour
- 1 1/2 cups (275 mL) all purpose white flour
- 2 tsp (10 mL) ground ginger
- 2 tsp (10 mL) ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp (10 mL) baking cocoa
- 2 tsp (10 mL) baking soda
Directions:
- In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in molasses, egg, vanilla, and salt until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together dry ingredients; add to wet ingredients and mix until well blended and dough forms. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before handling. If chilled overnight, allow the dough to warm up slightly or it may crack when it is rolled out.
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C.) Line two baking trays with parchment paper, set aside. Divide dough into 4 pieces; roll out one at a time keeping the remaining dough refrigerated.
- Roll dough to ¼ inch (½ cm) thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut into desired shapes using floured cookie cutters. Carefully transfer to prepared baking trays.
- Bake for 7-9 minutes, rotating trays top to bottom halfway through, or until cookies are set. Cool 1-2 minutes on the tray then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
Tips:
- Make a simple royal icing to decorate. It will harden overnight, making the cookies stackable for storage. Lightly whisk together 1 egg white and ¼ tsp (1 mL) lemon juice.
- Gradually beat in 1 ½ – 2 ½ cups (375-625 mL) of icing sugar to desired consistency.
- Tint using food colouring, then pipe onto cookies using a zipper storage bag with the corner snipped off.
- Allow the icing to dry overnight before storing in an airtight container.
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