Celebrate the Holidays – The Caloric Way!

Today is Christmas, and I’m planning on spending the afternoon cooking and baking with my family before settling down for Christmas dinner and a movie in front of the fire.  Regardless of your cultural affiliation with the holiday, there’s never a bad time to be baking in the wintertime, so I thought I’d share a couple of great recipe for Christmas cookies with you today.  I love cookies with a nice, solid, chocolate base, but since I know not everyone feels the same way, I’ve included two recipes here.

Enjoy them both, and I hope you have a wonderful, warm and Happy Christmas, whatever activity you are doing!

Double Chocolate Cookies (courtesy of my girl Martha Stewart!)

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces good-quality semisweet chocolate (4 ounces coarsely chopped, 4 ounces cut into 1/4-inch chunks)
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Melt coarsely chopped chocolate with the butter in a small heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.
2. Transfer chocolate mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add sugar, eggs, and vanilla; mix on medium speed until combined. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture. Fold in chocolate chunks.
3. Scoop batter using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop; place 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until cookies are flat and surfaces begin to crack, about 15 minutes. Transfer on parchment to wire racks. Let cool 5 minutes. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Ginger Spice Cookies

Yield: Makes about 30

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (packed) light/golden brown sugar
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup mild-flavored (light) molasses (not blackstrap molasses)
• Sugar

Directions

Combine first 6 ingredients in medium bowl; whisk to blend. Using electric mixer, beat brown sugar and butter in large bowl until fluffy. Add egg and molasses and beat until blended. Add flour mixture and mix just until blended. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter 2 baking sheets. Spoon sugar in thick layer onto small plate. Using wet hands, form dough into 1 1/4-inch balls; roll in sugar to coat completely. Place balls on prepared sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.

Bake cookies until cracked on top but still soft to touch, about 12 minutes. Cool on sheets 1 minute. Carefully transfer to racks and cool. (Can be made 5 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)

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