Chewy Molasses Cookies with Apple Cider Caramel

Friends, I give you the quintessential October cookie.  It’s the cookie that will get you through the transition from the splendor of October to the craziness of the holidays.  It’s my second favorite cookie ever and it helped me through many a spelling lesson. 

When I was in middle school my mother graciously asked a friend to help tutor me in spelling.  It was my biggest struggle.  English spelling is unkind to those of us who are stringent rule-followers.  Though I am still a less than fabulous speller (read: pretty bad but that’s why I have a dictionary), one part of those Sunday afternoon lessons was never forgotten. 

My tutor would bring with her a plate full of soft, chewy, lightly spicy molasses cookies to brighten up our lessons.  These cookies, along with the “International Delight” instant coffee-flavored beverages (which are basically the best thing ever when you’re nine) made spelling lessons a true treat.

Though the lessons are a thing of the past, the utter perfection of those cookies remains fresh in my memory.  Each Fall the craving returns and I know it is time to buy some molasses and preheat the oven. 

I greatly prefer molasses cookies to ginger snaps (which, let’s face it, are pretty similar in flavor) for one reason - the texture.  Though hard and crunchy is appropriate for some cookies, I firmly believe that a dark, spicy cookie needs to be soft, and chewy.

Though it was not necessary, I decided to bump my molasses cookies up a bit this year by drizzling them with apple cider caramel sauce.  Yeah.  I’m putting caramel on everything these days.  It’s Autumn, I just can’t help myself.

The cider adds a bit of tang to the dark, bitter caramel and it melds perfectly with the sweet, spicy cookie. 

Serving recommendation: Cold cider, warm cookies, fuzzy socks, Jimmy Fallon clips on youtube.  The End.

Mama, thank you for those spelling lessons that, if nothing else, helped me find my cookie soulmate.  He’s everything I’ve dreamt of - soft, sweet, and spicy.  Eew, that got weird.  I think I should go now. Bye.

Sincerely, 

Pedantic Foodie

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Chewy Molasses Cookies with Apple Cider Caramel

makes 3 dozen cookies / recipe adapted from Paula Deen

for the caramel

• 3/4 cup apple cider
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream 
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

In a small saucepan bring apple cider to a boil over medium high heat.  Boil for 10-15 minutes, until the cider has reduced by two thirds.  You will be left with 1/4 cup of reduced cider.  

In a medium saucepan combine sugar, butter and water.  Place over medium heat and stir until the butter melts and the sugar begins to dissolve.  Once the sugar has dissolved increase heat to medium high and boil, without stirring, until the caramel is deep amber in color, about 5-7 minutes.  Swirl the pan occasionally but DO NOT stir or scape down the sides.  Once the color is correct remove from heat and add vanilla, cinnamon, cider, and heavy whipping cream.  Be careful as the caramel will steam and splatter.  Return the pan to the burner and stir until the caramel is smooth and homogenous.  Allow to cool to room temperature before drizzling over the cookies. 

for the cookies

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened 
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup molasses 
• 2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 2 teaspoons baking soda 
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar 

Sift to combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. Set aside.  

In the work bowl of your stand mixer combine butter and brown sugar.  Beat for 1-2 minutes; until fluffy.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add egg.  Beat until well combined.  With the mixer on medium speed, add molasses and mix until smooth.  Slowly incorporate in flour mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  The dough should be a bit dry, but sticky.  Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line several baking sheets with parchment paper.  

Use a 1-ounce scoop to portion the dough into balls.  Roll each ball in granulated sugar and place on a lined baking sheet.  Use the palm of your hand to flatten the cookies slightly.  Bake for 12 minutes.  The cookies will look slightly underdone in the center - this is perfect.  If you over-bake these cookies they will lose their chewy texture.  Allow to cook on wire racks before drizzling with caramel.  Enjoy!

Cherry Hazelnut Ice Cream Sandwiches

I've always loved ice cream sandwiches.  I mean, who doesn't?  Oh, some people...  But those people probably stopped reading this blog months ago, so, yeah...

A little while ago I made the best ice cream I've ever made.  I'm serious. It was fantabulous.  (I promise this is the one and only time I’ll use that word on this site.)  

I first shared this ice cream with you when I made this black cherry hazelnut crisp, but when I started thinking about making ice cream sandwiches at home I knew this recipe would be making a second appearance. 

Cinnamon ice cream.

She's spicy, she's creamy, she's the girl that will blow your mind with her subtle beauty, unending sweetness, and surprisingly spicy personality.  She also tastes exactly like a cinnamon roll.  Happiness is here.

Last summer I made ice cream sandwiches.  I know, you don't remember them, and that is because they never made it onto the blog. 

After hours of testing and of making the biggest melted-ice cream mess ever, I gave up and walked away.  Then I walked right back because I had to do the dishes.  How annoying. 

I knew that I would revisit the concept, but it took a year before I could muster up the courage to give it another try.

My difficulties had lay in the cookie component.  Originally, I could not get a cookie that was hard enough to hold up to ice cream, yet soft enough to not become a solid rock when frozen.

I needed more chewy and less crispy.

Happily, after two test runs, I finally met with an equation for the perfect ice cream sandwich cookie.

I took several steps to ensure that these cookies would be soft and chewy.  First, I used all brown sugar.  Typically, I would use a mixture of white and brown sugars, but in this case I wanted all the softness that the brown sugar would provide.  Secondly, I used a smaller amount of flour.  The portion was not incredibly reduced - just enough to make the cookies slightly less dense.  

I experimented using a mixture of baking power and baking soda, and then I tried using only baking soda.  I definitely preferred the baking soda version.  Baking power will make your cookies rather cakey, and though it worked well with the ice cream, it just was not the cookie that I had been dreaming of.  

However, with round two, I ate way too many.  

Although, considering that it took many hours of scheming and tiring taste-testing in order to get them right, I think that celebrating is completely permissible. 

Cold, creamy, spicy ice cream sandwiched between soft, chewy cookies with crunchy hazelnuts and dark, sweet cherries.

No, it's not your imagination, these sandwiches do have a bit of a Fall vibe, but I cannot help the fact that my palate is a bit eager to transition into the realm of cozy, spicy flavors in the most summery ways possible. 

Success it sweet.  Literally.  

Get in there.  Summer was made for sticky fingers.  

Sincerely,

  Pedantic Foodie

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Cherry Hazelnut Ice Cream Sandwiches

makes about one dozen sandwiches

for the cherry hazelnut cookies

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup brown sugar 
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup all purpose flour 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1/2 teaspoons fine salt 
• 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup dried cherries, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

In the bowl of your stand-mixer beat butter for 1 minute.  Add brown sugar and beat for several minutes, scraping down the sides, until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg, cinnamon, and vanilla.    

In a large bowl whisk to combine flour, salt, and baking soda.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet in four installments; beating well after each addition.  After all the dry ingredients have been added, fold in chopped hazelnuts and dried cherries.  

Portion the cookie dough into 1-ounce balls and place several inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment.  Bake for 7-8 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers look slightly underdone.  Transfer the warm cookies to a cooling rack and allow to cool fully before filling with ice cream.  

for the cinnamon ice cream

• 1 cup whole milk 
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream 
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 5 egg yolks 
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar 

In a small saucepan combine milk, whipping cream, and cinnamon.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat and remove from heat.  Add vanilla extract. 

In a small bowl whisk to combine egg yolks and sugar.  Slowly stream half of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolk while whisking constantly.  Pour the tempered egg yolks into the saucepan and return to heat. 

Cook for about 5 minutes, until the mixture has thickened into a light custard then remove from heat and place in an ice bath.  

Stir often, until the mixture has thoroughly chilled.  You may have to change out the water once or twice.

Churn in ice cream maker according to your manufacturer’s instructions.  Transfer to a freezer safe container and chill until set. 

assembly

• plastic wrap
• 24 freshly baked cherry hazelnut cookies
• 1 batch cinnamon ice cream 

Use a 1-ounce ice cream scoop to portion the ice cream onto half of the cookies.  Gently top each with a second cookie and wrap tightly in plastic wrap.  Place in the freezer for at least 20 minutes to harden slightly.  Enjoy!

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

Remember how I promised you back in January that I would make up for the disturbing lack of cookies around this blog?  

Well, that was one of my New Year’s resolutions that I knew I would not mind fulfilling.  

White chocolate macadamia nut cookies are one of my favorite cookies.  They are buttery and chocolatey and yet, I seem to only have the pleasure of biting into one every couple of years.  That has to change.

And we are off!  You know this drill.  Butter and sugar, egg and vanilla meets flour, baking soda, and salt.  

White chocolate is sweet and sophisticated while the macadamia nuts provide some crunch and meatiness.  Dream team!

I love chopping nuts, it’s kind of my favorite thing, next to using my blow torch.  

We preheat, we cut parchment, we scoop dough.

Warning: DO NOT OVER-BAKE!  These cookies can quickly go from chewy and scrumptious to crunchy and burnt.  Trust me, I know.   It’s important to pull these cookies out while the centers still look under-baked. 

While the cookies are baking, pour yourself a glass of milk.  Go ahead, use the pretty glasses, you deserve a treat.

One of my favorite taste-testers declared these cookies to be the best white chocolate macadamia nut cookies he has ever eaten.  I'll let you be the judge.  

Happy Wednesday friends! 

Sincerely,

  Pedantic Foodie

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White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies 

makes 2 dozen

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg 
• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 3/4 cup roasted, unsalted macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
• 1 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In the work bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium speed for one minute.  Add granulated sugar and beat for 1-2 minutes until fluffy, scraping down the sides as necessary.  Beat in egg and vanilla.  

In a large bowl, sift to combine all purpose flour, baking soda, and salt.  

Slowly add dry ingredients to butter mixture, beating until all ingredients are well combined. Add chopped nuts and white chocolate to the cookie dough.  

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Use a 1-ounce scoop to portion the cookie dough, spacing the cookies about 2 inches apart.  

Bake for 9-12 minutes, until the edges of the cookies are just beginning to brown and the centers appear to be under-baked*. 

Remove from oven and transfer cookies to a cooling rack. 

These cookies are best served at room temperature with large glasses of chilled milk.  Enjoy!

*It is really important to under-bake these cookies, otherwise they will be crunchy rather than chewy, and the white chocolate will burn on the bottom.