The base recipe for these came from the Martha Stewart 2010 Holiday Cookies magazine.
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground allspice (recipe calls for 1/2 tsp., but I used more)
1 cup unsulfured molasses
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup small-batch bourbon (see below)
1 cup packed brown sugar (recipe calls for light, I used dark)
4 cups coarsely chopped pecans (or cashews, pistachios might be good, too) (1 cup into batter, 3 cups for later)
The part that's not in the magazine:
Dried douglah pods
Put at least two douglah pods into a small glass or mug, and cover with at least 1/2 cup of the bourbon, and let them rehydrate at least overnight. I used 6 pods. (Note the pods should be covered, plus a bit more.) Use 1/4 cup of the bourbon from rehydrating the pods as the bourbon ingredient above. Finely chop at least 2 rehydrated pods to add to the dough as indicated below. Clearly you can add more or less, as desired, but this is how many I used. (Note for those unfamiliar with drying pods - usually pods are at least sliced in half for drying, so you will likely use 4 dried half-pods.)
1) Combine flour, allspice, and salt in a bowl - stir or whisk to thoroughly blend.
Cook butter and molasses in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring, until butter is melted and mixture is smooth. Let cool slightly, then stir in bourbon and chopped douglah.
Transfer to a bowl, stir or whisk in brown sugar until smooth. Stir in flour mixture and 1 cup of the chopped nuts.
Chill dough at least one hour, or up to one day.
2) Preheat oven to 400F (204C.) Shape dough into balls (about 1 tablespoon each.) Roll balls in remaining 3 cups of chopped nuts. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake, rotating sheets half way through, until flattened and browned on edges, 9 to 11 minutes. Let cookies cool on sheets 3 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to one week.
Edit: Yes, I'll post pics tomorrow, after I actually bake some. Right now can't help myself from dipping into the dough from time to time - went to the store to pick up more ingredients, just in case!
Edit: See tips for baking below.
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground allspice (recipe calls for 1/2 tsp., but I used more)
1 cup unsulfured molasses
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup small-batch bourbon (see below)
1 cup packed brown sugar (recipe calls for light, I used dark)
4 cups coarsely chopped pecans (or cashews, pistachios might be good, too) (1 cup into batter, 3 cups for later)
The part that's not in the magazine:
Dried douglah pods
Put at least two douglah pods into a small glass or mug, and cover with at least 1/2 cup of the bourbon, and let them rehydrate at least overnight. I used 6 pods. (Note the pods should be covered, plus a bit more.) Use 1/4 cup of the bourbon from rehydrating the pods as the bourbon ingredient above. Finely chop at least 2 rehydrated pods to add to the dough as indicated below. Clearly you can add more or less, as desired, but this is how many I used. (Note for those unfamiliar with drying pods - usually pods are at least sliced in half for drying, so you will likely use 4 dried half-pods.)
1) Combine flour, allspice, and salt in a bowl - stir or whisk to thoroughly blend.
Cook butter and molasses in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring, until butter is melted and mixture is smooth. Let cool slightly, then stir in bourbon and chopped douglah.
Transfer to a bowl, stir or whisk in brown sugar until smooth. Stir in flour mixture and 1 cup of the chopped nuts.
Chill dough at least one hour, or up to one day.
2) Preheat oven to 400F (204C.) Shape dough into balls (about 1 tablespoon each.) Roll balls in remaining 3 cups of chopped nuts. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake, rotating sheets half way through, until flattened and browned on edges, 9 to 11 minutes. Let cookies cool on sheets 3 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to one week.
Edit: Yes, I'll post pics tomorrow, after I actually bake some. Right now can't help myself from dipping into the dough from time to time - went to the store to pick up more ingredients, just in case!
Edit: See tips for baking below.
