Ginger Newts
Inspired by cookies (or, rather, tea biscuits) served by Professor McGonagall in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, these ginger newts are crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, and perfect for dipping in a cup of Earl Grey.
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ¼ cup molasses
- 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
- 1 egg
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar for decoration optional
Instructions
- Cream together butter and sugar using an electric mixer. Mix in molasses and fresh ginger before beating in the egg.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Slowly mix this into your wet ingredients.
- Once all ingredients are completely combined, wrap your dough in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.
- Remove your dough from the refrigerator and roll out on a lightly floured surface. Use a cookie cutter to create your favorite shapes and transfer the cutouts onto a prepared baking sheet.
- Return the cutout cookies to the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Optional: Dust your cutout cookies with a light layer of granulated sugar prior to baking.
- Bake your cookies for 8-12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.