Day 6: Orange Ginger Wafers

These crisp cookies were baked by Charlotte Janes, who is our Head of Systems and Administration.  Her cookies are from the book The Joy of Cooking Christmas Cookies by Irma S. Rombauer. These cookies will start off the week of "Christmas Comes to Kentville" at the Kentville Library. Stop in and see if there's one left!

Recipe:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly coat cookie sheets with non-stick spray (I used parchment paper).

Use a wire whisk, mix thoroughly, then set aside:            

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

½ tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp ground cloves

¼ tsp salt

Using an electric mixer, beat together until well blended and smooth:

1 cup sugar

2 ½ tsp finely grated orange zest

1 tsp finely grated lemon zest

3 Tbls corn or canola oil

2 ½ Tbls unsalted butter, softened

Add and continue beating until well blended:

1 large egg

¼ cup molasses

2 ½ tsp vanilla

Gradually beat the dry ingredients into the egg mixture until well blended and smooth.  Form dough into generous ¾ inch balls.  Space 2 ¼ inches apart on cookie sheets.  Lightly oil the bottom of a large flat-bottomed drinking glass.  Very lightly dip the glass into : 2 Tbls sugar.  Flatten balls until ¼ inch thick, dipping the glass into the sugar before flattening each cookie.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until wafers are just tinged with brown and slightly darker around the edges.  Cool in sheets for 1-2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.  These will freeze well.

My family loves ginger cookies, these are a little special just for the holidays with the addition of the citrus.  – Charlotte Janes