Ginger Cookies with Black Pepper and Cardamom: Thank you, Fellow Bloggers!

The cookies served on a Moroccan fossil plate...double yum!

Ginger Cookies with Black Pepper and Cardamom:  A Recipe from a Fellow Blogger and Another and Another...

by Victoria Challancin

When I spied these cookies on the Pithy and Cleaver blog (What an inspired name!  What an inspired blog!), I knew I had to try them.  Maggie, from the Pithy blog found them on Nicole's wonderful Baking Bites blog (one of my absolute favorite!), who adapted them from The Liquor Control Board of Ontario, proving once again, that you can't keep a good recipe down.  Like all good ideas, like love itself, recipes are meant to be shared.


You may remember from my blog on Crystalized Ginger Mini Pumpkin Cake, that I mentioned I am always looking for an excuse to use candied ginger. Any excuse, really.  In hot chocolate, in cakes, in cookies...with pork.  Why not?  And now I found this cookie recipe that features candied ginger, black pepper, and cardamom, creating a perfect symphony of heat and perfume, all rolled into one divine taste sensation--well, of course I had to try it.  This recipe for Ginger Cookies with Black Pepper and Cardamom didn't disappoint.  The combination of spices is sublime.  Interesting, with just the right balance.  Maggie, from the Pithy and Cleaver blog made them for a Serious Eats cookie swap.  I made them for the family of my dearest friend.  

Ginger Cookies with Black Pepper and Cardamom

(Recipe by Maggie of the Pithy and Cleaver Blog,  adapted from The Liquor Control Board of Ontario via Baking Bites)

2 cups all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil 
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 cup chopped candied ginger
1/4 cup coarse sugar, for rolling (optional)  

Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, ground ginger, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cocoa, cardamom, and pepper.

In a large bowl, beat together sugar and vegetable oil. Beat in egg, grated fresh ginger, and molasses until smooth. Fold in the flour mixture until well combined, then add in candied ginger.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls, roll in coarse sugar if desired and place on baking sheet. Bake 6-7 minutes until just set.

Let cookies cool for 3-5 minutes on cookie sheet, then remove to a wire rack until cool.

Makes 3 dozen.

Cook's Note:  Molasses isn't always easy to find here in San Miguel.  I only had 1/8 cup and used piloncillo (unrefined Mexican sugar, available in cones) melted with a bit of water to make up the difference.  Unrefined agave nectar would also work.  For San Miguel cooks, I found the candied ginger at Moonrise Health on Calle Organos.  I also had no coarse sanding sugar and simply used regular sugar to roll the cookies in before baking.

Enjoy!

Maggie called these "chewy" cookies, but I think I cooked mine about 2 minutes too long.  Mine were crispy, but still delicious.

My noche buena plant (poinsettia), happily co-operating with Life to enhance our Christmas yet another year.  Thank you, Los Haas.

You might also like these Christmas recipes:


Crystalized Ginger and Black Pepper Pumpkin Mini-Cakes

English Berry Trifle with Cointreau

Italian Mostarda--perfect with ham!


Goat Cheese Tart (or Squares) with Raspberry-Chipotle Chutney


Ponche Navideño:  Mexican Christmas Punch

Victoria Challancin
Flavors of the Sun International Cooking School
San Miguel de Allende, México

©Victoria Challancin.  All Rights Reserved.