Smoky Cardamom Ginger-Molasses Cookies

To ready ourselves for gift-giving (and cookie-eating) season, we've declared this week Cookie Week. We'll share recipes and tips about cookies of all kinds, be they spicy or chocolate-y, chewy or crunchy, round or square. Mix up some dough and join us.

Today: Carey Nershi of Reclaiming Provincial tells a sad story about a lost cookie recipe. But wait! There's a happy ending (and yes, it involves a great cookie).

I had an amazing ginger-molasses cookie recipe years ago. And then I lost it. In attempt to find something that measured up, I’ve made so many other recipes, but the results have been underwhelming. (I even accidentally made a batch of the exact same disappointing cookies twice, not realizing I’d tried out that very recipe a year earlier. That was a bad day.) But then, I found this recipe, and it was basically perfection. A couple tweaks and my new favorite cookie recipe was born.

If you're looking for a crisp-on-the-outside, chewy-on-the-inside wintery cookie with a little extra something, look no further. Infusing the butter with black cardamom pods takes things to the next level, giving the cookies a hint of savoriness. (Think bacon fat cookies, but vegetarians can eat these too.) If you can’t find black cardamom or would rather skip it, reduce the butter by 2 tablespoons and add 1/4 teaspoon of ground cardamom instead; they will still be absolutely delicious.

Smoky Cardamom Ginger-Molasses Cookies

Makes 2 dozen cookies

14 tablespoons butter
5 black cardamom pods
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
1 cup bread flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup sugar (for rolling)

See the full recipe (and save and print it) here.

Photo by Carey Nershi