By A cold week. Below zero Wednesday and Thursday. The Subaru took two tries to start both mornings. The house held. The heater was running full. I wore two sweaters indoors.
I made bone broth Sunday — the twenty-four hour version. I had gotten in a rhythm during Sean's illness of keeping broth on hand. I have kept the habit. I make it every second Sunday. A big batch. Six quarts. The freezer has three. The fridge has three. I drink it. I cook with it. I give some to Linda.
Linda brought over a plate of cookies Friday. Ginger molasses. She said "Kate. I know it is hard in January. I made these." I ate two standing at the counter. I gave one to Liam. I hid the rest in a tin on top of the fridge so we would have them tomorrow. They did not last.
Kids had a snow day Thursday. No school. I took the day from clinic — one of my flex days — and stayed home. We built a fort in the living room. We had hot chocolate at 10 AM. Nora fell asleep in the fort for two hours. Liam read to me from his school book — a chapter book for early readers that his teacher had sent home. He read seven pages. He is reading. I watched him read. I did not cry, barely. He sounded out each word with precision. He is his father's son.
Linda’s cookies were gone by the next morning — I don’t think anyone was surprised. There is something about ginger and molasses in the cold that feels less like a treat and more like a necessity, and I’ve been making my own version ever since that Friday. The chocolate deepens the spice in a way that makes them feel serious, which felt right for a January that asked a lot of us. If you have a neighbor like Linda, make her a batch. If you don’t, make them for yourself and hide them in the tin — though I can’t promise they’ll last.
Soft and Chewy Chocolate Ginger Molasses Cookies
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 12 min | Total Time: 27 min | Servings: 24 cookies
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/4 cup for rolling
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Heat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Whisk the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves until evenly combined.
- Cream butter and sugar. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and 1 cup of granulated sugar together with a hand or stand mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
- Add the wet ingredients. Beat in the egg, molasses, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Combine. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix.
- Roll and coat. Place the remaining 1/4 cup of granulated sugar in a shallow bowl. Scoop the dough into 1 1/2-inch balls, roll each between your palms, then roll in the sugar to coat.
- Bake. Arrange dough balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops are just beginning to crack. The centers will look slightly underdone — that is correct.
- Cool. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. They firm up as they cool and become perfectly chewy.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 148 | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Carbs: 22g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 118mg