Sugar Cube (12 page)

With their crispy edges and chewy, oat-y middles, these babies bring out the cookie monster in me. They’re one of the few things that make me thankful I’m a grown-up because it means I can eat as many as I want. Seriously, though, I can’t decide what I like more: the cookies alone or sandwiching cream cheese ice cream (see
Cream Soda Ice Cream
) in the middle. They’re killer both ways, especially hot out of the oven when the cinnamon is at its most fragrant.
MAKES ABOUT 30 COOKIES

• 1
  ¹
  /
  ₂
  cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1 teaspoon ground saigon cinnamon (see tip)
  
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
  
• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut (preferably Angel Flake)
  
• 1
  ¹
  /
  ₂
  cups bittersweet chocolate chips
  
• ³
  /
  ₄
  cup golden raisins
  
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  
• 1 cup granulated sugar
  
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
  
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  

• PREHEAT THE OVEN
  to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpats.
  
• IN A MEDIUM BOWL
  , whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until well blended. Stir in the oats, coconut, chocolate chips, and raisins until well incorporated, breaking up any coconut clumps.
  
• IN THE BOWL OF A STAND MIXER
  fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients and beat just until combined.
  
• DROP THE DOUGH
  by 2-tablespoon portions (I use a 2-ounce ice-cream scoop), several inches apart (they spread), onto the prepared sheets and bake until puffed in the middle and golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes.
  
• LET THE COOKIES COOL
  on the baking sheets for a minute before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. They will keep in an airtight container for several days.
  

•
Saigon cinnamon, also known as Vietnamese cinnamon, has the best, most potent flavor. Thankfully, even supermarket brands like Spice Hunter and Spice Islands now sell Vietnamese cinnamon. Keep in mind that spices lose their potency over time, so just buy what you think you’ll use up in six months to a year.

There’s a veritable spice route in these cookies, not to mention a healthy glug of bold blackstrap molasses. It all adds up to some seriously kick-ass cookies. Eat them as is, or turn them into ice-cream sandwiches—try the
Cream Soda Ice Cream
. You can also crumble these babies up and mix them with oats for a crisp topping, use them instead of graham crackers in a cookie crust, sprinkle them on ice cream … You get the idea. They have a ton of uses, hold up great, and freeze well.
MAKES ABOUT 40 COOKIES

• 3
  ³
  /
  ₄
  cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
  
• ¹
  /
  ₂
  teaspoon sea salt
  
• 2 teaspoons ground saigon cinnamon (see tip, following)
  
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  
• ¹
  /
  ₄
  teaspoon ground cardamom
  
• ¹
  /
  ₈
  teaspoon ground cloves
  
• 1
  ¹
  /
  ₂
  cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  
• 2 cups granulated sugar
  
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  
• ¹
  /
  ₂
  cup blackstrap molasses
  
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  
• 1 heaping tablespoon peeled and freshly grated ginger (see tips)
  
• ¹
  /
  ₂
  cup superfine sugar for coating
  

• IN A MEDIUM BOWL
  , whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, and cloves until combined.
  
• IN THE BOWL OF A STAND MIXER
  fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the molasses, vanilla, and grated ginger and beat until blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients and beat just until combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough for 1 hour or overnight if you can. (This dough benefits from resting overnight to develop its flavors.)
  
• PREHEAT THE OVEN
  to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpats. Put the superfine sugar in a small bowl.
  
• SHAPE 2-TABLESPOON PORTIONS OF DOUGH
  into balls, drop each into the bowl of sugar, and toss to coat. Place the balls 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets. Lightly press each to flatten slightly. Bake until the edges are set and the centers are puffy, 12 to 15 minutes. (Check after 12 minutes; don’t overbake. After cooling, the edges will be crisp, and the middle will have a tinge of chewiness.)
  
• LET THE COOKIES COOL
  for a minute before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. They will keep in an airtight container for several days.
  

•
Use a Microplane to grate fresh ginger. It quickly and easily cuts through the root’s tough fibers like nothing else.

•
Don’t be tempted to use fresh ginger in place of dried, and vice versa. The flavors are completely different.

Instead of tea and cookies, I like my tea
in
cookies. I usually reach for Earl Grey to bake with because it’s earthy, citrusy, and perfume-y all at once, giving buttery baked goods like these delicate cookies a haunting depth. The tea also goes great with lemon and chocolate, so try tucking 1 tablespoon of (slightly firm) ganache between two cookies for a true tea sandwich, or dip the cookies in lemon curd.
MAKES ABOUT 40 COOKIES

• 1
  ¹
  /
  ₂
  cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  
• ¹
  /
  ₂
  cup brown rice flour (see tip)
  
• ¹
  /
  ₂
  teaspoon sea salt
  
• 2 tablespoons finely ground earl grey tea leaves
  
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  
• ¹
  /
  ₂
  cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  
• 1 egg yolk
  
• 1 heaping tablespoon grated tangerine or orange zest
  
• ¹
  /
  ₄
  cup superfine sugar for rolling (see tip)
  

• SIFT TOGETHER THE ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
  , rice flour, and salt into a medium bowl. Add the tea leaves and whisk until blended.
  
• IN THE BOWL OF A STAND MIXER
  fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and confectioners’ sugar on high speed until blended but not fluffy, about 1 minute. Beat in the egg yolk and citrus zest. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add dry ingredients. With the mixer on low, mix just until combined.
  
• SCRAPE THE DOUGH OUT
  onto a lightly floured surface and gather it into a ball. With floured hands, shape the ball into a 12-inch-long log. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or waxed paper and twist the ends. Refrigerate until completely firm, about 1 hour.
  
• PREHEAT THE OVEN
  to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpats. Put the superfine sugar in a small bowl.
  
• CUT THE LOG
  crosswise into
  ¹
  /
  ₂
  -inch-thick slices. Toss each slice in the sugar to coat. Place the cookies at least 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the edges are lightly golden and the cookies are firm, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating the pans from front to back and between upper and lower racks halfway through.
  
• LET THE COOKIES COOL
  for several minutes on the baking sheets before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. They will keep in an airtight container for at least 1 week.