Blackberry Gingerbread Cookies
Time:1 hour plus about 2 hours chilling time
Prep Time:
30 minutes plus about 2 hours chilling time
Cook Time:
about 30 minutes
Serves:
18 cookies
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 Cup granulated sugar, divided
- 2 Packages (6 ounces each) Driscoll’s Blackberries
- 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 3 Cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 Tsp. baking powder
- 1 Tsp. ground ginger
- 1 Tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 Tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 Tsp. salt
- 1/8 Tsp. ground cloves
- 1/2 Cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 Cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 Cup molasses
- 1 Tsp. vanilla extract
- Confectioners’ sugar
Directions
- PLACE 2 tablespoons cornstarch into a small bowl and ADD 1/4 cup granulated sugar.
- STIR thoroughly to combine ingredients and SET ASIDE cornstarch mixture.
- PLACE blackberries into food processor or blender.
- PULSE until blackberries are mostly pureed.
- POUR blackberries into a medium saucepan.
- ADD 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
- BRING to a boil.
- COOK over medium heat until somewhat thickened, about 10 minutes.
- REMOVE jam from heat.
- ADD cornstarch mixture and STIR to combine ingredients.
- RETURN jam to medium heat.
- COOK and STIR frequently until thickened, about 3 minutes.
- ALLOW jam to cool completely. (Jam may be STORED in refrigerator for about one week if you want to make it ahead of time.)
- PLACE 3 cups flour into a large bowl.
- ADD 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon ginger, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
- ADD 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon cloves.
- STIR to combine ingredients.
- SET ASIDE flour mixture.
- PLACE 1/2 cup butter into bowl of an electric mixer.
- ADD 3/4 cup brown sugar.
- BEAT mixture until pale and creamy, about 3-4 minutes, and SCRAPE DOWN sides of bowl as needed.
- ADD 1 egg and BEAT to combine.
- ADD second egg and BEAT to combine.
- ADD 1/2 cup molasses and BEAT to combine.
- ADD 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and BEAT to combine.
- ADD half of flour mixture to butter mixture.
- BEAT just until combined. Do not over mix.
- ADD remaining half of flour mixture.
- BEAT just until combined. Do not over mix.
- GATHER dough into a ball and PLACE onto a sheet of plastic wrap.
- PAT dough into a disk and WRAP completely in plastic wrap.
- REFRIGERATE dough for at least 2 hours.
- PREHEAT oven to 350°F.
- LINE several baking sheets with parchment paper.
- SPRINKLE countertop with generous amounts of flour.
- SPRINKLE rolling pin with generous amounts of flour.
- ROLL dough out to about ¼-inch thick and REAPPLY flour to rolling pin and countertop as needed to prevent sticking.
- CUT about 36 circles from dough USING a 3-inch cutter.
- CUT desired shape from half of the circles USING a small cookie cutter of desired shape (star, gingerbread man, Christmas tree, etc).
- PLACE cookies 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
- FREEZE cookies 15 minutes.
- BAKE 7-9 minutes or until cookies are puffed and dry and CONTINUE BAKING 1-2 minutes more for crisper cookies.
- COOL cookies on baking sheets for a few minutes then TRANSFER cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- SPREAD about a tablespoon of blackberry jam onto each complete cookie round.
- SPRINKLE cutout cookies with confectioners’ sugar.
- PLACE cutout cookies on top of rounds with jam.
- SERVE immediately or STORE in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days before serving.
Pro Tip
For even baking, bake complete round and rounds with cutouts on separate sheet pans.
