Whole Wheat Ginger Cookies
Instructions:
- 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, preferably organic
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 12â„ 3 cups dark, grainy sugar, such as turbinado, demerara, or raw sugar
- 3 tablespoons wheat germ or rolled quinoa
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1â„ 2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1â„4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1â„ 2-inch pieces, chilled
- 1â„ 2 cup sliced crystallized ginger
- 1â„ 2 cup heavy cream, as needed
- Combine the all-purpose and whole wheat flours, 2â„3 cup of the sugar, and the wheat germ, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt in a food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade. Pulse a couple of times to combine.
- With the machine running, add a few butter pieces at a time through the feed tube, and process until the mixture looks sandy. Add all of the ginger at once. Gradually add the cream, and process, adding more cream if needed, until the mixture comes together into a stiff dough. (To make the dough by hand, finely chop the ginger.
- Combine the flours, 2â„3 cup of the sugar, and the wheat germ, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt in a mediumsize bowl. Add the butter. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks sandy. Add the ginger.
- Gradually stir in enough of the cream to make a stiff dough. You may have to work in the last of the cream with your hands. Transfer to a very lightly floured work surface and knead briefly.)
- Divide the dough in half. Place each half on a piece of plastic wrap, form into a 9-inch-long log about 11â„2 inches in diameter, and wrap in the plastic. Refrigerate until chilled and firm, at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
- Position racks in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Place the remaining sugar in a small bowl. Slice the dough into 1â„3-inch thick disks. Roll the edges of each in the sugar, pressing in the sugar to help it adhere, and place 1 inch apart on the baking sheets.
- Bake, switching the position of the racks from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking, until the cookies are dark golden brown, about 14 minutes.
- Cool on the sheets for a few minutes, then transfer to wire cake racks and cool completely. (The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.)