Peppermint Molasses Cookies



Of the many cookies her grandmother made at Christmastime, these frosted molasses ones were Cheryl Zakhar's favorite.
Yield: Makes about 4 dozen cookies
Ingredients

About 2/3 cups butter or margarine, at room temperature
1/4  cup  granulated sugar
1/4  cup  firmly packed brown sugar
1  large egg
1/4  cup  molasses
1 1/2  cups  all-purpose flour
1  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
1  teaspoon  ground ginger
1/2  teaspoon  ground cloves
1/2  teaspoon  baking soda
1/4  teaspoon  salt
1/2  cup  crushed hard peppermint candy such as candy canes, ~4 3/4 oz or 20 starburst mint candies
Peppermint Icing (recipe follows)
Preparation

1. In a large bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat 2/3 cup butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Add egg and molasses and beat until well blended.
2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, baking soda and salt. Stir into butter mixture, then beat just until dough comes together. Stir in peppermint candy. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and freeze until dough is firm, about 45 minutes.
3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place about 2 inches apart on buttered 12- by 15-inch baking sheets.
4. Bake cookies in a 350º regular or convection oven until lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes; if baking two sheets at once in one oven, switch their positions halfway through baking. Immediately, with a wide spatula, transfer cookies to racks to cool. When cool, drizzle with Peppermint Icing; save any remaining icing for other uses.

Peppermint Icing: In a bowl, mix 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla until well blended. If too thick to drizzle, mix in more milk, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, until thin enough. Stir in 1 tablespoon finely crushed hard peppermint candy ( ~.6 oz or 3 starburst candies) and 1 to 2 drops red food coloring if desired. Makes 1/2 cup.
Nutritional analysis per cookie.
Nutritional Information

Calories:73 (34% from fat)Protein:0.6gFat:2.8g (sat 1.7)Carbohydrate:11gFiber:0.1gSodium:56mgCholesterol:11mg

Cheryl Zakar, Coto De Caza, California, Sunset, DECEMBER 2001