Chunked Up Swedish Ginger Cookies

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Chunked Up Ginger Cookies

 

1 1/4 cups pecans, hazelnuts or macadamia nuts

14 tablespoons butter, (1 3/4 sticks), room

temperature

1 1/4 cups sugar plus more for sprinkling

1 large egg

1/2 cup dark molasses

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 tablespoons ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

1/4 cup minced crystallized ginger

 

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Spread the nuts on a

baking sheet and toast until lightly browned and

fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, let

cool and chop coarsely; set aside.

In a bowl, using an electric mixer preferably fitted

with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and

the 1 1/4 cups sugar until creamy, about 5 minutes.

Add the egg and beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Then add the molasses and beat to combine.

In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda,

ground ginger, cinnamon, salt and white pepper. Add

the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat until

well mixed, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the crystallized

ginger and nuts until evenly distributed.

Lightly flour a work surface. Divide the dough into 2

equal portions. Form each portion into a log about 1

1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap

and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours

or for up to 2 days.

Preheat an oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets

with parchment paper. Using a sharp knife, cut each

log into slices 1/8 inch thick. Arrange the slices on

the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch

apart.

Bake until golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the

oven, transfer to a rack and sprinkle with sugar. Let

cool.

Yields about 48 cookies.