I actually made these Sugar-Topped Molasses Spice Cookies right before I left for a trip a couple of weeks ago. I was intending to take it with me and have my Mom finally taste what I am baking (it is also her 70th bday) instead of just reading about them on my blog.  Well…I had forgotten how my Swedish husband loves ginger cookies and before I knew it, the cookies were gone! Even before we left for our trip!!  Good thing I already took pictures…LOL.  Anyways,  for this month’s Tuesdays with Dorie, Pamela of Cookies with Boys chose this recipe which is on page 76-77 of of Dorie Greenspan’s book Baking: From My Home to Yours.   The version I made is an orange-flavored spice cookie, adding a couple of drops of  pure orange concentrate. It reminded me of the Swedish Annas orange-flavored ginger cookies. And probably why my husband ate them all up!

I liked that the pieces are rolled into balls before flattening them out (unlike some recipe that called for rolling the dough and cutting with a cookie cutter).  Here’s my adapted recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• a pinch of salt
• 1 tbs ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp all spice
• a pinch of ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 6 drops pure orange extract
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup sugar for rolling

Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine first 7 ingredients. In a stand mixer, beat butter until creamy. Add brown sugar and molasses and beat for about 2 minutes.  Add the egg and orange extract, beat for a minute and then add the dry ingredients.  Mix until well combined and the dough is soft and smooth. Divide the dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap and then freeze for 30 minutes or refrigerate for at least an hour. (Can be refrigerated for up to 4 days)
2. Preheat oven to 350F. Take dough and divide into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then roll in bowl of sugar to coat.  Repeat with the rest and place on parchment covered baking sheet.  Press each ball down using the bottom of a glass, dipping the bottom of the glass in sugar if you want, to about 1/4 to 1/2  inch thick. (Cookies will expand during baking)
3. Bake the cookies for approximately 14 minutes (depending on your oven) or until it feels set to the touch (almost hard, not too soft).  Transfer to cooling rack and cool to room temperature.

I don’t know how long the cookies  can be stored since mine disappeared in two days!

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