Antioxidant-rich Shamrock Ginger-Mesquite Cookies #Recipe #GardenCuizine

St. Patty's 

~ Low Sodium, Antioxidant-rich ~

Ginger-Mesquite Cut-out
Cookies Recipe

Another GardenCuizine^TM cookie jar favorite! Antioxidant-rich gingerbread cookies inspired the recipe for these tasty year-round treats made with nutrient-dense Mesquite flour. The difference from traditional gingerbread cookie dough is that they are lower in sodium, and higher in dietary fiber from the mesquite flour, which is ground from dried mesquite beans.

Read previous blog post for more information about Mesquite

Contrary to popular belief, the flavor of mesquite is not smokey. Mesquite flour is sometimes compared to carob flour. You really have to try mesquite flour and taste it for yourself. I was pleasantly surprised with the flavor and appealing ginger color it adds to baked goods. My taste testers like it too. 

This recipe yields a large batch, but you don't have to bake off all of the dough at once. Like most cookie doughs, when well wrapped, the dough stores well in the fridge or freezer. 

The dough makes great gingerbread men at Christmas too!

• Ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg mingle well with the unique natural flavor of mesquite, making these Ginger-Mesquite Cookies a new cookie favorite
• Any shape cut-out can be used
• Organic, fiber-rich, mesquite flour can be found from online sources, such as Casa deFruta

Yields: approximately 12 dozen 3-inch cookies
Ingredients
5 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup organic mesquite flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 sticks unsalted butter  
1 cup packed brown sugar 
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup molasses 
2 eggs (cracked into a small cup and set aside)

Putting it all together
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)

• Foil line a few cookie sheets and set aside
• Sift the dry ingredients, except for the salt, into a large bowl.
• In a mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar and salt. 
• Add molasses and beat until well combined.
• Add eggs, scraping the bottom of the bowl if necessary.
• Add dry ingredients. Mix (with paddle) on low until just combined.
• Divide the dough into about 6 portions. Press the dough into 1-inch disc shapes.
• Wrap dough in clear wrap. Label and date. Store in airtight freezer-safe baggies.
• Keep refrigerated or frozen until ready to use.

• Bring to room temperature when ready to roll out. Using about half of a disc of dough at a time, place the dough between 2 sheets of plastic clear wrap. Slowly work and roll the dough out to about 1/8-inch thick. Cut out using desired cookie cutter shapes.   
• Bake 350°F 7-10 minutes 

Remember cookies are a treat. Enjoy in moderation!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Related Links  
Spices, Herbs and Antioxidants
Cooking with Mesquite Flour
Diana's Mesquite Apple Cake
Blog post, photo and recipe Copyright 2012 Wind. All rights reserved.