These pillowy soft, dangerously moreish, ginger treats are just what this weather calls for.
Summer’s over, no need to think about swimwear, shorts or baring flesh any more.
Just remember, no-one knows what shape you are under a huge cashmere jumper! So have another cookie.
You might want to make it one of these…
Ginger Pillow Cookies.
Delightfully crisp and crumbly on the outside, pillowy soft in the centre with the most glorious ginger kick.
They’re the sort of cookie that bends as you break it in half, rather than snapping.
Which is by far my favourite type of cookie.
(Yes, I’m calling them “cookies” rather than “biscuits” because they’re pretty huge and it suits the texture better.
Though naturally being British, they still live in the biscuit tin. Which comes out the second the kettle goes on.)
As far as I can tell the original recipe was shared by amy1028 and I spotted it on Pinterest, I’ve made modest changes and I know you’re going to love sharing it with everyone you know too!
This’ll make about two dozen cookies:
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups (290g) plain flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
3 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Pinch of salt
3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (130g) caster sugar (granulated sugar)
1 medium egg
1 tablespoon water
1/4 (60g) cup molasses
A little extra caster sugar
Equipment:
Might sound silly, but if you’re going to use the cup measurements- make sure you have measuring cups! Lots of people think you can just use a teacup, but you need actual measuring cups.
Baking tray
Grease-proof paper
Flat bottomed glass
Method:
Start by pre-heating your oven to 180C/350F and lining a tray with grease-proof paper.
Sift together your flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and salt.
In a separate bowl (or ideally a KitchenAid if you’re as lazy as I am), cream together your butter and white sugar.
Once it’s light and fluffy, beat in your egg.
Add your water and molasses.
Stir in your dry ingredients until it’s all combined and you’re left with a golden batter.
Life doesn’t get much batter than this! ^
Pour a little extra white sugar onto a side plate, just enough to cover it.
Take a walnut sized amount of batter and roll it into a ball, using your hands.
Gently snowball it around the sugar plate, until you have a nice delicate coating.
Place onto your baking tray.
And smoosh with the bottom of a glass.
Space each cookie a couple of inches apart, because they’ll spread in the oven.
If you find your glass starts sticking to the cookies, just rub the bottom on the sugar plate between smooshes.
Pop into the middle of the oven for 10mins.
Remove, and enjoy the cloud of festive scent that’ll fill your home for the rest of the afternoon!
Leave the cookies on the tin for a few minutes to firm up a bit, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. (Promise me you’ll try one when they’re still warm from the oven!)
Then you can make another batch.
Serve with a pot of good tea and some cold milk.
(I bought this tea-set in a market last weekend and I’m pleased as punch with it!)
These babies are the ultimate combo of autumnal bliss and Christmas cheer, with the smell of ginger, cinnamon and cloves.
The ginger gives a beautifully spicy aftertaste that gently builds over time.
There’s no way you can stop at just one!
They’ll keep, in a tin, for about a week.
Good luck with that!
