Dr bfly's Ginger Citrus Spice Cookies

AKA the cookie recipe I've been fiddling with and refining for like a decade and the only cookies I make anymore because I like them too much Ingredients: • 12 Tbsp (1.5 sticks) butter - I'm lazy and use salted most of the time. idk how europeans measure their butter so do your own conversion • 3/4 tsp salt if using unsalted butter • ¼ cup molasses • 1 large egg • 2¼ cup all-purpose flour • 1.5 cup brown sugar • 1 tsp baking soda • 1 Tbsp ground ginger • 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon • 1 tsp ground cloves • 1 tsp ground allspice • ½ tsp ground nutmeg • ½ tsp ground cardamom • ½+ cup minced candied ginger • ½+ cup minced candied orange peel • up to a shot's worth ~(40ml) bourbon, Cointreau, both, or other liquor according to taste • Optional: 1-2 tbsp powdered buddha's hand* • turbinado sugar

*this is an ingredient I invented because a friend kept giving me buddha's hand so I started candying it like you would make candied orange peel or whatever but it still kept going bad so I stuck it in a dehydrator for a whole day and then put it into a spice grinder and it's great for imparting a citrusy floral note to any baked goods. You could probably approximate the same by candying, dehydrating, and grinding other citrus peels.

Instructions:

Soften butter in large mixing bowl. Beat in egg and molasses. If in a rush, butter can be gently melted, but be careful to let it cool for a few minutes at least before adding in egg. Using melted butter will give the final cookies a more “crinkly” appearance and texture, which may or may not be to your taste. I like them both ways, personally.

Stir in sugar, as well as minced ginger, orange peel, and bourbon if you’re using it.

In separate mixing bowl, evenly stir or sift together all remaining ingredients except for the turbinado sugar

Slowly beat dry mixture into wet mixture. The dough is very thick and sticky, so a hand mixer may have problems. I recommend either a stand mixer with paddle attachment or a wooden spoon and a strong arm.

Refrigerate dough for at least 3 hours. If in a rush, you can put it in the freezer for 30 minutes, and then pop it back in between batches. You should be able to handle the dough without it sticking all over your hands.

Preheat oven to 350F (~175C)

Roll dough into balls no more than ¾ inch (~20mm) in diameter. Pour turbinado sugar onto a plate and then roll dough balls in the sugar and squash down into discs.

Place on parchment paper covered baking sheet and bake for 10-13 minutes

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