When test kitchen director Ruth Cousineau put mustard in her spice rack, so to speak, alongside cinnamon and ginger, a whole new world opened up, especially when the former Vermonter turned to a longtime favorite: molasses cookies. Putting Dijon mustard in the batter/dough gives the homey, comforting cookie-jar cookies just enough of a bite to keep people coming back for more. “What makes these so good?” they’ll say. “I can’t quite put my finger on it.” Fessing up is optional. (Editor’s note: This recipe is solely the creation of Ruth Cousineau and has not been formally tested by the test kitchen.)
Watch the Test Kitchen Challenge video that features this recipe.
2000s Recipes + Menus
Soft Mustard Molasses Cookies
Serves6
- Active time:30 min
- Start to finish:1 1/2 hr
June 2009
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg at room temperature 30 minutes
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1/3 cup mild molasses
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- Coarse sanding sugar for sprinkling (optional)
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Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Grease 2 large baking sheets.
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Whisk together flour, cinnamon, ginger, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.
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Beat butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, then beat in egg, mustard, and molasses (mixture may look curdled). At low speed, mix in flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture, and mixing just until smooth.
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Drop 1 1/2 Tbsp batter per cookie onto baking sheets, arranging them 3 inches apart (cookies will spread). Sprinkle with sanding sugar.
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Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until cookies are puffed and dry to the touch, 17 to 19 minutes. Cool on sheet 1 minute, then transfer cookies to a rack to cool.
Cooks’ note: Cookies keep, between layers of parchment paper in an airtight container, at room temperature 1 week.
- Keywords
- web-exclusive recipes,
- dessert,
- vegetarian,
- ruth cousineau
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