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ppfuf ([personal profile] ppfuf) wrote2009-12-14 04:45 pm
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The Big Christmas Bake

I'm finally done with the baking phase of the Christmas cookie insanity. Tonight I will finishing packing them up, and tomorrow I go to the post office to ship.

My incipient OCD got the better of me, and towards the end I started optimizing cookie production to make sure I had no ingredients left that I wouldn't use in the next month or two. It mostly worked; I have no leftover molasses, peanut butter or oatmeal. To use up the last 1/4 cup of molasses I made a (slightly modified) recipe of crispy ginger snaps from my old red-checked Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. Opening the oven door was the smell of Christmas. Wow! I'm going to send some to my brother.

Ginger Snaps
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
Granulated sugar, for coating the dough
Preheat the oven to 350F. Line baking sheets with parchment).
In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the brown sugar, shortening, molasses, egg, baking soda, salt and spices. Mix in flour.
Shape or scoop the dough into 1 inch balls. A tablespoon cookie scoop can be used to portion the dough. Roll the balls in granulated sugar and place them on the prepared baking sheets. Use a fork to press a crisscross pattern into the top of each, or flatten with a glass.
Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, or until they're set. Remove them from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool.

[identity profile] evil-macaroni.livejournal.com 2009-12-15 03:50 pm (UTC)(link)
I bow before the awesomeness of your cookie OCD! Congratulations on both baking up a storm AND partially clearing your pantry shelves! :)

[identity profile] metageek.livejournal.com 2009-12-15 09:08 pm (UTC)(link)
the baking phase of the Christmas cookie insanity

They called me mad at the gingerbread house!