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Flavorless gingerbread cookies...Help

alabubba's picture
alabubba

Flavorless gingerbread cookies...Help

So I tried a new recipe for gingerbread man cookies (Pioneer Woman)  And they are flat and flavorless.

I now have 6 dozen tasteless little men. 

Is there anyway to get some flavor into them. 

I was thinking maybe making a slurry or glaze with ginger in it and basting them. 

I can't serve them to my guests the way they are.  Should I just bite the bullet and start over? 

 

MontBaybaker's picture
MontBaybaker

A ginger glaze could help this batch (steep some fresh grated ginger in whatever liquid you use).  Based on the recipes we use it seems like the spice quantity is too low 6 c. of flour.  I usually double them for ginger cookies - we like intense, complex flavor.  We love lots of molasses, so 1 c. is a good start.  Using dried molasses crystals in place of some of the sugar would intensify that flavor without adding moisture.  I also add minced candied ginger and/or grated fresh.  I'm assuming that your spices are fairly fresh. Maybe compare this with other recipes from places like KAF to see what's different.  The fact that they're homemade and you took the time will impress your guests!

AndyPanda's picture
AndyPanda

I like ginger cookies to bite you back.  My recipe calls for 4.5 tsp ground ginger plus 4.5 tsp grated fresh ginger plus 1 cup of crystallized ginger all against 2 cups of flour - so that is drastically more ginger than the recipe posted above - but mine definitely bite you back and are probably too hot for kids (and awesome with vanilla ice cream)

You could try making a "tea" out of grated fresh ginger and steep it in a little boiling water - and try brushing that on a cookie and see what you get.  If the cookies are not too sweet already you could mix a little sugar in the ginger tea first.

alabubba's picture
alabubba

Andy, that recipe sounds delish.  Can you post/ pm it to me? 

AndyPanda's picture
AndyPanda

TRIPLE GINGER SNAPS:

1/2+ cup large-grain sugar (i.e. turbinado)

2 cups spelt flour OR whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon star anise, finely ground
4 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup unsulphured molasses
2/3 cup fine grain natural cane sugar, sifted
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 large egg, well beaten
1 cup crystallized ginger, then finely minced
2 lemons, zest only

Preheat the oven to 350F degree - racks in the top and bottom 1/3 of the oven. Line a couple baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper, place the large-grain sugar in a small bowl, and set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, star anise, ground ginger, and salt.

Heat the butter in a skillet until it is just barely melted. Stir in the molasses, natural cane sugar, and fresh ginger. The mixture should be warm, but not hot at this point, if it is hot to touch let it cool a bit. Whisk in the egg. Now pour this over the flour mixture, add the crystallized ginger (make sure it isn't too clumpy), and lemon zest. Stir until just combined.

I like these cookies tiny, barely bite-sized, so I scoop out the dough in exact, level tablespoons. I then tear those pieces of dough in two before rolling each 1/2 tablespoon of dough into a ball shape. From there, grab a small handful of the big sugar you set aside earlier and roll each ball between your palms to heavily coat the outside of each dough ball. Place dough a few inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 7-10 minutes or until cookies puff up, darken a bit, get fragrant and crack.

alabubba's picture
alabubba

 O.k. going to give these a try after the holidays.  Thank you. 

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

and they were bland the first day but gradually got stronger as the days wet on.  Yesterday the last one was pretty good but... it was the last one.   Mine had lemon zest in them and a good dose of Anise seeds. 

My recipe had to four cups of flour (500g)  6g (6 teaspoons) mixed spices  and 8g Anise seed, 18g lemon zest  just to give an idea.  

"...6 dozen tasteless little men."    Had to laugh, there's a joke there somewhere....   I put a strong flavoured jam on half of them and doubled them up.  Then brushed with a mixture of melted dark chocolate and butter, about 50/50 and let them set.   

clazar123's picture
clazar123

I started developing oil-based cookie recipes when the price of butter sky-rocketed here a few years ago. Also, I never finalized  converting my cups to grams.This one was still in development and never finalized but if I remember, the product really lit up a co-workers eyes that LOVED ginger cookies. She preferred the molasses version after it sat for a few days though she said the honey only version was still gingery goodness. The honey-only was also lighter colored, of course.

Note that there are not a lot of other spices in it and I even eliminated the cinnamon for my next go-around. I wanted a GINGER cookie and not a SPICE cookie. Feel free to add other spices but remember to let them age for 2-3 days for them to be at their best. All those aromatics have to disperse!

 

GINGER CRINKLES

Oil based cookies       Dough Weight 728g    1 tsp dough=8g   350F 7 minutes         6 dozen

 

Ingredients:

 

Vegetable   oil

2/3   c

135g

 

Brown   Sugar

¾   c

200g?

 

Egg

1

1   large

 

Molasses  Honey or corn syrup

1/4c    1/8 c (2 tbsp)

70g    ??

Honey   adds delightful flavor

Water

2   tbsp

                       ??

 

Mix oil and sugar thoroughly with a mixer. Add Egg and mix well. Then add dry ingredients that have been well sifted together and mix until incorporated.

 

AP   flour

2   ¼ c

276g?

 

Baking   soda

2   tsp

10g

 

Salt

½   tsp

5g

 

Cinnamon

1   tsp

 

Leave   out

Powdered   ginger

2   tsp

6g

 

Grated   fresh ginger

1   ½ tbsp??

25g

Ginger   too fresh-juicy

Crystallized/candied   ginger

½   c chopped small

70g?

Incorporate   after dough mixed

 

Roll a teaspoon (8g) of dough into a ball and roll in granulated sugar.

If dough sticky, let rest for 20 minutes and use oiled hands to handle

Place on ungreased cookie sheet-do NOT flatten

Bake 350F (175c)for 7-8 minutes

These are puffy cookies that develop a nice crackle on top. They taste much better on day 2-4 after baking.

The molasses makes them very dark brown and too molasses-y tasting, though many people liked them and they mellowed after a day.

Try dark brown sugar for a lighter cookie. (Looking at this now, I have no idea why I wrote this. I wonder if I meant use dark brown sugar instead of molasses for a lighter colored cookie?)

 

Have fun!

 

alabubba's picture
alabubba

Can these recipes be used to roll out and cut with cookie cutters? 

clazar123's picture
clazar123

Mine are puffy and crackle when they bake.

BethJ's picture
BethJ

While I have a gingersnap recipe I'm happy with (Gourmet Cookie Book), I've recently seen a version of it with a little black pepper in it.  I've also seen recipes calling for cayenne pepper in gingersnaps.  Interesting take, and might be worth a try.

 

alabubba's picture
alabubba

I binned them and started over.  Much better.  Used a recipe from epicurious added a tablespoon of fresh ginger as well as the tablespoon of ground ginger in the recipe. Gingerbread men

https://www.google.com/amp/www.geniuskitchen.com/amp/recipe/the-most-wonderful-gingerbread-cookies-80156