All Grown Up

If I were ever to write a cookbook one day, it would probably feature recipes of delicious sweet treats with the adult palate in mind. Ginger would be one of the featured flavours. As a kid, I didn't like ginger, and thus I was not a fan of ginger cookies either. My brother and I used to painstakingly pick out the slivers of ginger in our mom's stir-fries. However, all grown up now, my palate has become more sophisticated and I have come to love ginger. I throw it in my cooking whenever I have a chance, and I love the subtle spiciness it adds to baked goods.

Since I'm in Martha-loving mood of late, I'll continue my praise for her this week. These cookies have been my current favourite for the past few months. I used to use a recipe from my brother for ginger cookies. They were pretty good, with a sugary crisp exterior, and if under-baked just a little, a little soft and chewy on the inside. It was my go-to ginger cookie recipe for the past few years until I came across this recipe a few months back for Chewy Chocolate Ginger Cookies. The word "chocolate" was enough to have me curious, but the combination of chocolate and ginger sounded so delightful to my ears that this recipe became a must-try.

Despite the addition of chocolate, this is the perfect "adult" cookie with the addition of different spices, like all spice, cinnamon and of course, ground ginger. A little bit of cocoa is also added to heighten the chocolate flavour of the cookie, and to round out the flavours. The best part is the addition of some grated fresh ginger, which really brings the cookies up a few notches in flavour, and adds an extra kick of spiciness to the cookie. If you really want to make this an ultimate cookie for adults, replace the chocolate chips with candied ginger, which would go just as well with these superbly decadent gems.

I dare anyone who makes these cookies to try to keep away from these, because it's practically impossible. The molasses and the chocolate chips make these cookies soft and chewy, super decadent and oh-so-gooey when it's fresh out of the oven. A great addition to your winter holiday repertoire, these make for a great treat any day of the year really.