Gingernut Cookies

Today has been, once more, really cold and I wanted nothing more as soon as I got home than whipping up some cookie dough and filling the house with that flavour only cookies get when baking. I am a big fan of ginger as a spice in general. I love to use it for cooking, but it is great for baking as well. Apparently, the people at donna hay magazine like it as well, because they did a whole spread on baked goods spiced with ginger in the June/July 2012 issue of their magazine. I want to introduce you to her recipe for gingernut cookies. 

Here's the recipe:

150g (5.3 oz) unsalted butter, softened

225g (1 1/4 cups) brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg

185g (1 1/4 cups) all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 teaspoon of ground ginger

demerara sugar, for rolling

1) Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Beat the butter, the brown sugar and vanilla extract with a hand-held mixer or kitchen machine for 8-10 minutes until it is light and fluffy. 

2) Add the egg and beat for another 2-3 minutes, so the egg is completely combined with the other ingredients.

3) Add the flour, bicarbonate of soda and ground ginger and beat until a smooth dough forms. 

4) Roll tablespoonfuls of the dough into balls, the roll in the Demerara sugar. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper and place the cookies on it, leaving space in between. 

5) Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden. Cool on a wire rack. 

Yield: 24 cookies

Active preparation time: about 15 minutes

Total preparation time: about 45 minutes

© Copyright: donna hay magazine, june/july 2012

Here's how my cookies turned out:

I had to google Demerara sugar to find out it is sugar made of crystallized raw sugar cane juice. I know I am able to find it at a delicatessen in the city, but as I didn't have any at home, I substituted coarse brown sugar for it. Using this coarse sugar adds a slight crunch that I like and it crystalizes while baking. But if you don't like biting on sugar crystals, omit the rolling in sugar. The thing I love most is the taste of the ginger in combination with the caramelized sugar. A little sweet and yet spicy. And the perfect excuse to curl up on the sofa with a cup of coffee or tea and a warm gingernut cookie straight from the oven. 

Have fun trying and enjoy!