Spice Cookies
Awaiting Trial Recipe version 1 · Filed by the Court (seed pool) · Adapted from 'Spice Cookies' — The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book by Fannie Merritt Farmer, 1910 edition as read on Wikisource / Project Gutenberg eBook #65061 (public domain) (Ch. XXX, Gingerbreads, Cookies, and Wafers). Measures and oven temperatures modernized. Conversion: the original's 2 cups flour (250 g) are swapped straight for a gum-containing 1:1 blend at the same weight (USDA basis 125 g/cup); no other change except +0–2 minutes' latitude in the oven, per the cookie rule. Farmer directs that these proceed 'as with Ginger Snaps'; they are filed separately from Ginger Snaps below because the formulations differ — soda-and-spice dough with milk and two fats, against the snaps' eggless molasses dough.
Molasses is heated to boiling, then sugar, butter, lard, and milk go in, and the spiced flour mixture follows. The dough is chilled thoroughly and rolled thin like ginger snaps — dark, crisp, and warm with clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Why this complexity: Dough must chill thoroughly before rolling.
Ingredients
- 250 g gluten-free 1:1 baking blend (with gum) (about 2 cups), plus more for the board, for the original 2 cups flour (250 g, USDA basis 125 g/cup)
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/2 tablespoons lard (or more butter)
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Method
- Heat the molasses to the boiling point. Take off the heat and add the sugar, butter, lard, and milk; stir until the fats are melted.
- Mix and sift the blend, soda, salt, and spices, and add to the molasses mixture.
- Chill the dough thoroughly, at least 1 hour.
- Heat the oven to 350°F (a moderate oven). Roll the dough thin on a board dusted with blend, cut with a round cutter, and place on buttered sheets.
- Make 8 to 10 minutes, until firm and just darkened at the edges. Cool on the sheet.
The verdict so far
No testimony yet. This recipe is Awaiting Trial — the empty docket is the invitation. Make it and file the first report.
Testimony
No testimony on the record yet.