Love Potions – Sugar and Spice Recipes

Preheat an oven to 350?F. Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and toast until lightly browned and fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool and chop coarsely; set aside.In a bowl, using an electric mixer preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and the 1 1/4 cups sugar until creamy, about 5 minutes. Add the egg and beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Then add the molasses and beat to combine.In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, salt and white pepper. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat until well mixed, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the crystallized ginger and nuts until evenly distributed.Lightly flour a work surface. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Form each portion into a log about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or for up to 2 days.

Preheat an oven to 325?F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a sharp knife, cut each log into slices 1/8 inch thick. Arrange the slices on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart.

Bake until golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, transfer to a rack and sprinkle with sugar. Let cool.

Makes about 48 cookies.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Lifestyles Series,?Soup for Supper, by Joyce Goldstein (Time-Life Books, 1998).