BYIs it cheating to post a recipe that isn’t really a recipe, but rather just a slight variation of a recipe you posted a couple of months ago? Maybe. But as Kate mentioned in her last post, we’re also technically supposed to be sitting around in our pajamas right now on a blogging vacation, so isn’t this better than seeing a big note that says “See ya next year!”? Hopefully so! I also thought this would be a good one to post because being quick and easy, it’s a perfect last-minute treat recipe for anyone who still has to whip something up for holiday parties in these few days before Christmas.
I know a lot of you have made and loved the ginger spice cookies. In that post I told you how my mind went crazy thinking of all of the things I could do to these cookies to make them even better, but that after I tasted them I decided they definitely needed to be left alone. While it’s true that they are fabulous left completely alone, I couldn’t stop thinking about some way to incorporate two of my favorite flavors:
White Chocolate and Orange Zest.
I was making these for a friend the other day for her birthday, and while the cookies taste incredible plain, this friend is anything but plain, so I thought it would be a perfect excuse to fancy them up. Enter white chocolate and orange zest. The creamy white chocolate is just enough to add something rich, without overpowering the other flavors. And the orange zest is practically meant to go with the other warm spices. Match made in heaven!
All you have to do is whip up a batch of Ginger Spice Cookies. They’re really quick and really easy. To the wet ingredients add the zest from 3 large oranges. I found it takes quite a bit to be able to taste the orange flavor over the strong molasses. Check out this post all about zesting, and learn why you should definitely own a microplane grater!
Then melt some white chocolate. I used about a half bag of white chocolate chips, melting in the microwave in 30 second intervals until melted and smooth. Take the cooled cookies and dip the edges in the chocolate; shake in the air a bit to let excess chocolate drip off. Lay the cookies on waxed paper or parchment until the chocolate is hardened.
When the chocolate is dry, they can be stacked and packed. Or you can do as I do and just stack them in your hand and pack them in your mouth 🙂
And while we’re on the topic of variations, my sister sent me this picture. She made the ginger spice cookies and pressed the dough into muffin tins before baking. The result were these adorable and delicious little cookie bowls that she filled with ice cream. How cute is that? Love it. If any of you have any fun ideas or variations of our recipes, email us- we’d love to hear about it!
Since we’re talking about warm cookies, who out there is snowed in?! There’s winter storms hitting all over the place, including my house! Hooray for a white Christmas!
Yep- we’re snowed in! I know I won’t be going anywhere tomorrow. My husband has cleared our driveway twice but 32 mph winds are making it impossible!! Unfortunately I’m low on groceries and haven’t finished Christmas shopping…sigh. Guess I’ll just have to make these cookies instead.
What’s funny is all the snow falling everywhere, and in Tooele we got nothing today!
Yum!!! Those look so good.
And guess what–hell has apparently frozen over (literally) because Louisiana is supposed to get snow tonight!
Oooh, these look good. And I especially love the ice cream bowls! And the white chocolate!! Y-U-M!!
Oh, and to answer your question, I’m totally loving this being snowed in stuff (except when we almost got stuck in the snow with our van – thank goodness for chains!). I’ve lived in the NW since I was 6 and can’t remember it EVER snowing like this!! So fun!
Oh and Sara, I love the white chocolate on there. And the orange sounds so good! Ooh imagine the bowls with the orange zest and the rims dipped in chocolate then filled with caramel ice cream… MMMM!
Emily, I did explain it to Sara in detail but apparently she wasn’t listening!
I rolled the dough out to about 1/4 inch on a roul pat sprinkled with sugar. After it was rolled out I sprinkled the top with sugar and lightly pressed it in. I then cut 1.5 inch circles with a cookie cutter.
I used the back of a mini muffin tin and sprayed it with cooking spray. Then I placed one disc of dough on top of each one and pressed down slightly so the bowls would be flat on bottom when they were baked. I baked them at 350 for about 5-7 minutes, just until they looked set. I then let them cool enough to hold their shape and then popped them off.
Good tip: do every other muffin tin in case they run into each other.
They were sooooooo good filled with ice cream. I bet they would be super pretty with a little caramel sauce and a mint leaf as well!
Okay, so I was just thinking I wanted to make some type of ginger man cookies, or whatever, and I decided, well, I’ll check here first and make sure they haven’t posted something about it … HELLO! Here you are and you’ve totally made what I’m looking for. Thanks Sara. These look awesome and I love the idea of the orange zest and the white chocolate!
Wow, they look awesome! Thanks for sharing!
I’m not sure what Becca used, but I’m sure she’ll see this and tell us. Bec, did the cookies just pop right out of the muffin tins?
She also just sent me pics of the Seattle storm- Insane!
Sara,
What did Miss B use to get the cookies out of the pan so perfectly? Did she just spray or did she use paper?
The weather out here is nuts also! Check out what I wrote tonight the pictures don’t look like Washington weather but they are. –emily