Chewy Ginger Cookies with Molasses Date Caramel
These cookies have a lovely balance of spice and sweet, with a hint of earthiness from molasses. The texture is both tender and chewy, pleasing multiple cookie palates. And they are gluten-free and Paleo-friendly.
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Recipe excerpted from The Laura Lea Balanced Cookbook by Laura Lea Goldberg.
Makes 15 cookies
Ingredients
Molasses date caramel
- 1 cup canned full-fat coconut milk
- ½ cup packed pitted medjool dates
- 1 tsp. molasses
- 1/4 tsp. sea salt
Cookies
- 1¼ cups coconut sugar, divided
- 1¼ tsp. ground ginger, divided
- 1¼ cups blanched almond flour
- 6 Tbs. coconut flour
- 11/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp. sea salt
- ½ tsp. baking powder
- 1 egg plus 1 egg white
- 1/4 cup room-temperature grass-fed butter
- 2 Tbs. molasses
Preparation
To Make Molasses Date Caramel: Add coconut milk and dates to blender, and purée until as smooth as possible (you will still see tiny pieces of date). Add mixture to small sauce pot over medium heat. Heat to simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring every 30 seconds, until mixture is reduced by half and is a light brown color, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in molasses and sea salt. Refrigerate mixture in heatproof container until completely cooled.
To Make Cookies: Preheat oven to 325°F, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Mix 1/4 cup coconut sugar and 1/4 tsp. ground ginger, and spread on a plate.
In large mixing bowl, combine remaining ginger, flours, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. Whisk to incorporate.
In standing mixer or hand mixer, combine remaining 1 cup coconut sugar, eggs, and butter. Mix on high speed 1 minute, until mixture has formed small, soft peaks and lightened in color. Add molasses. Mix 30 seconds more, until molasses is incorporated and mixture has slightly firmer peaks. (When you turn your spatula upside down, peaks should hold for just a second before collapsing.)
Fold wet mixture into dry until incorporated. Cover dough, and refrigerate 30 minutes. Remove from fridge.
Fill small bowl with lukewarm water, and place next to baking sheets and coconut sugar plate. Scoop and roll 2-inch balls of dough, roll in coconut sugar mixture to coat, and place balls on baking sheet, leaving plenty of room for balls to expand (7–8 balls per sheet).
Dampen fingers, and flatten balls to approximately ½-inch thickness. Bake 20 minutes, and allow to cool 10 minutes before topping with caramel. Cookies will keep tightly sealed on countertop for 2 days, or in the refrigerator for 5 days. Reheat in oven at 300°F for 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Information
- Calories 210
- Carbohydrate Content 27 g
- Cholesterol Content 20 mg
- Fat Content 12 g
- Fiber Content 3 g
- Protein Content 4 g
- Saturated Fat Content 6 g
- Sodium Content 210 mg
- Sugar Content 23 g