Smoke and Spice Rosemary Gingersnaps
While these make a cozy holiday cookie to pass around among friends, they really pop on a cheese and charcuterie platter, as a vehicle for savory Stilton, smoked cheddar, aged sheep’s milk cheese, and ribbons of applewood-smoked ham. The cookie is meant to have heat. I developed it using ¼ teaspoon of chipotle, which didn’t quite get it there. However ½ teaspoon might be over the top for some. Adjust the amount according to your taste/tolerance for heat.
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 6 ounces (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- ¼ cup unsulphured molasses
- 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1¾ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ –½ teaspoon ground chipotle powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 12 ounces whole-wheat flour
- Turbinado sugar for rolling
Instructions
- In a standing mixer with a paddle attachment, mix the sugar, butter, molasses, and fresh ginger on low speed until just combined.
- Add the ground ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, chipotle, cloves, allspice, and salt. Beat on medium speed, scraping as needed, until fluffy and pale, about 5 minutes.
- Add the egg and the rosemary, and beat until smooth.
- Add the flour in 3 parts, mixing on low speed, to incorporate. Chill the dough for 1 hour or up to overnight.
- Meanwhile, adjust the oven rack to a medium rung, and preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the turbinado sugar in a wide, shallow bowl.
- Using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop (#60), drop the dough, a dozen or so at a time, into the sugar, and using your hands, toss to coat. Arrange the dough, rounded-side up, about 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake, rotating once, for 16 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack.