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Cocoa Gingerbread Cookies

17/11/2023

Here is a recipe for delicious Cocoa Gingerbread Cookies with an Italian twist. We add a pinch of espresso powder to enhance the flavor of the cocoa.

Ingredients

  • 350 g of all-purpose flour
  • 30 g of unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon of baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons of ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 teaspoon of espresso powder (optional, for an Italian touch)
  • 125 g of unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 175 g of light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon of milk
  • 125 ml of molasses or honeydew honey

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F) and prepare two baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, sift and mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt, and espresso powder.
  3. In another bowl, cream the butter with the brown sugar until light and fluffy. Incorporate the egg and milk, continuing to mix.
  4. Gradually add the dry ingredients and the molasses to the butter mixture, mixing until everything is well combined. If the dough is too sticky, you can add a little more flour.
  5. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about 5 mm thickness. Use Christmas or desired shapes to cut out the cookies.
  6. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, leaving enough space between each one.
  7. Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until the edges begin to harden but the center remains slightly soft.
  8. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a couple of minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

If you wish to decorate them, you can do so with royal icing, powdered sugar, or melted chocolate once the cookies have cooled.

Trivia

Although this is a cocoa variation of the classic gingerbread cookies, the addition of espresso powder is a non-traditional touch that is gaining popularity for the way it enhances the flavor of chocolate. In Italy, espresso is an integral part of the culture and is often used in pastry making to give desserts a richer and more decisive flavor.

Cocoa Gingerbread Cookies