Jeff's Fresh Ginger Cookies

Did you know?

I went to Le Cordon Bleu's culinary program in Seattle for a year while I was taking a sabbatical, before moving to Hawaii?  Tells ya something about my leisure time pursuits.
I'm always puttering in the kitchen.  Getting ideas for new recipes.  Looking at something I want, and thinking through how to make it better.

TIP: Do in advance (like 15 minutes)

Put 2 sticks of butter in a mixing bowl.  Add 1 1/2 cups of light brown sugar in, and another 1/2 cup of granulated sugar.  Allow the butter to come to room temperature.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS RECIPE:

​It's easy.  Other than taking a little extra time with your ingredients, it's super easy. It's nuanced. Ginger powder is bold .. Too bold for a cookie. Ginger Snaps are not my thing.

But these Ginger Cookies sure are!  And, you just scoop the batter onto a silpat or parchment paper on a cookie sheet and 12 minutes later - it's a snap!

Ingredients

• 2 sticks butter room temperature (salted is just fine)
• 1 ½ cups light brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, plus the yolk of 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons Maple Syrup
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger paste
• 1 ½ cups all whole wheat flour
• ¾ cup All Purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• granulated sugar for dusting cookies before baking

​Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375℉.
2. In a suitable mixing bowl, mix with a spoon the light brown and granulated sugar with the room temperature butter till well blended.
3. Add the eggs, vanilla, ginger paste and maple syrup and stir till combined.
4. Add the two flours, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and baking soda to the wet ingredients. Mix just until the dry ingredients combined.
5. Using a 2 tablespoon disher (cookie scoop) to scoop a ball of dough onto the silpat of parchment paper. Press the center with your thumb or the back of a spoon to form a shallow dent.  Dust with granulated sugar. These will spread, like a sugar cookie, to about 3" diameter.
6. Bake the cookies at 375°F for 12 minutes (less or more depending on your oven).  The edges will be slightly more brown. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet before transferring to a sealable storage container to keep them slightly moist and chewy.