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Ginger Cookies

 

Description

Ginger cookies are fun to make and children love to be involved in the cutting and decorating. I like heart-shaped cookies, but you can use any shape cookie cutter including those that make gingerbread men. Whatever cookie cutter you use, you’re sure to enjoy these soft, scrumptious cookies.

 

 

Ingredients

2/3 cup molasses or sorghum

1/3 cup softened butter or Spectrum Spread

1/4 cup frozen concentrate apple juice, thawed

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 egg whites

4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons powdered ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon powdered cloves

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon grated orange zest

 

GLAZE

1/4 cup frozen concentrate apple juice, thawed

 

 

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Mix the molasses, butter, apple juice concentrate, and vanilla together in a large bowl. Beat the egg whites in a separate bowl for 3 minutes, and then whisk them into the wet ingredients.

Mix all the dry ingredients together, including the orange zest, in a separate, large bowl. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, using a wooden spoon to mix everything together until the dough becomes stiff. Knead the dough with clean hands for a couple of minutes, and then divide it in half.

Flatten each half into 2 round disks, wrap them in plastic wrap, and put them in the freezer until they are completely chilled, at least 2 hours, or overnight.

After the dough has thoroughly chilled, roll it out on a floured surface. Sprinkle the dough with a little more flour. Roll it out into 1/8-inch-thick slabs, and then cut it into shapes with a cookie cutter. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the cut cookie shapes with the apple juice concentrate.

Smear the baking sheet with 1/4 teaspoon of butter and arrange the cookies on top. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes until they turn a light golden brown. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

 

Makes about 32 cookies (3 inches each)

Per serving (1 cookie):
Calories 96.9
Fat 1.8 g
Saturated fat 0.1 g (1.6% of calories from fat)
Protein 1.6 g
Carbohydrate 19 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Fiber 0.5 g

This recipe is from The Healthy Kitchen – Recipes for a Better Body, Life, and Spirit (Hardcover) by Andrew Weil, M.D. and Rosie Daley (Knopf)