There are moments when nothing but cookies will do. We're fortunate that they come in a range of shapes and sizes, textures and flavors. There really is a cookie for almost any occasion. Simple sugar cookies, fancy tuiles, hefty slices of shortbread, crumbling biscotti, delicate lace cookies, soft chewy hermits, rich lemon squares and decadent seven layer bars. This list goes on forever.
Today I was feeling a bit unsettled, at loose ends. There are several projects that need my attention, none of which I found inspiring this afternoon. I paced around, circling the computer. As I procrastinated I picked aimlessly at various odds and ends out of the refrigerator. That's one of the dangers of the home office. A vague hunger gnawed at me although I found nothing in the pantry that appealed for a meal. I ate cartons of pudding-like yogurt, creamy and rich with a delicate lemony tang. I slipped pieces of bologna and prosciutto from their wrappings and scarfed them down at odd intervals. A handful of almonds was followed a short time later by a petite frozen Snickers bar. An attempt at something healthy resulted in a bowl full of cereal, an hour later I was back for part of a leftover bacon cheeseburger. I finally decided that the only way to stop eating was to make something delicious that would satisfy my craving for something satisfying.
Clearly I was not wishing for anything remotely good for me. I wanted something relatively quick and easy with a big payoff. Cookies fit the bill admirably. The beauty of cooking at home is that I can revel in imperfection. My cookies could be a myriad of shapes and sizes, there were to be no perfectly uniform treats today. Instead I baked cookies that were loosely formed with soft dough. The edges ran thin and crispy with caramelized butter and sugar, sloping gently upwards to chewy centers of gingery goodness. There were large ones that were almost uniformly chewy and small thin ones that were crisp and delicate. Some were accidentally perfect circles while other were oblong or geometric in the way that only homemade cookies can be. I baked a full batch knowing that I would have to give most of them away. Three people can only consume so many cookies, no matter how yummy they may be. The abundance pleased me and soothed the restless energy that had been exasperating me all day.
The cookies were intensely satisfying. The house filled with the scent of citrus and sugar. Alex claimed they tasted like Fruity Pebbles and I understood completely. The candied ginger gave them a sharp kick of spice to balance out the floral notes of orange and the rich buttery dough. The best part is that they are the easiest of easy drop cookies. You can keep the dough in the refrigerator and bake them off whenever you have a craving.
Orange Ginger Cookies
8 ounces sweet butter at room temperature
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon orange oil or the zest of 1 large orange
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2-1/2 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 cup diced candied ginger
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cream butter in a mixer until light. Slowly beat in the sugar, salt and baking soda until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated, scrape down the bowl after each egg is blended into the butter. Add orange oil or zest and vanilla extract and mix until fully incorporated. Add all of the flour and mix slowly until the mixture comes together as a soft dough. Fold in candied ginger.
Dough can be used immediately or refrigerated/frozen until needed.
Bake 8-10 minutes, rotating once until edges are golden brown and the tops are set.
