Week of Sweets: Day 3, Molasses Cookies

Imagine sitting before a plate of the twelve best cookies created by bakers in your tri-county area. Your task: consume each tasty morsel, rate every cookie in a variety of categories, and consult with your food-loving peers to determine the ultimate holiday cookie.

Yep. It was just as fun as it sounds.

And no, I didn't tire of eating cookies (although I did save a portion of each cookie for Adam. Except for two. They were so delicious I couldn't resist eating the whole thing. What can I say? I can be cookie-selfish at times.).

Last month I met with fellow members of local newspaper's Food Panel to judge cookies for the Annual Holiday Cookie Contest. The winning cookie was voted unanimously as the best in the bunch: simple, small, and oh-so-Christmas-y, we chose a White Chocolate-Dipped Molasses Cookie as the 2010 winner.

Yesterday I baked a batch of the winning recipe with my mom and sister during our annual Holiday Cookie-Baking Day. We forgot to pick up white chocolate, so ours weren't dipped. They're still delightful, but I definitely recommend the white chocolate for an extra hint of decadence.

Now, it's time to go eat some more holiday treats. Because that's what we do in December, right?

What treats are gracing your holiday cookie trays this year?

Molasses Cookies (plus deliciously optional white chocolate coating)

(recipe from Pat H.--winner of the Dominion Post Annual Holiday Cookie Contest)

This cookie received rave reviews from our panel for its tender, moist crumb, its rich ginger/molasses flavor, and the simple elegance (and delicious addition!) of white chocolate. You'll love them without the white chocolate, too. These babies are going to be a new staple on my holiday cookie trays.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 3/4 tsp. ginger
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 cups flour
• Optional: White melting chocolate

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 and coat cookie sheets with cooking spray.

2) Cream shortening, sugar, egg, and molasses together until fluffy. Add dry ingredients and mix until well-combined. Roll into small balls, and then roll in decorators' sugar. Place on cookie sheet and gently press down on each cookie to flatten. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool.

3) If desired (and who wouldn't desire this?!), dip half of each cookie in white chocolate and place on wax paper to cool/firm up.