With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Fall Baking: How To Make Snappy, Spicy Gingersnap Cookies
Photo via Stella Barra on Facebook
()
Chef Jeff Mahin knows dough. Not only does the young gun make one of our favorite pizza pies in town, he also is one heck of a baker.
When we first tried his gingersnap cookies over at Stella Barra in Hollywood, we were immediately smitten. (He also slangs the sweet little treats in the restaurant's pastry cases over in SaMo.)
What makes these cookies ($2.95 a piece) so unique is the use of cayenne pepper, which add a wonderful heat to a traditionally super sweet cookie.
Admittedly, we got a bit pouty when they were sold out on our last visit to the Santa Monica location. Thankfully, and perhaps dangerously, we can now make them at home. They are wonderful on their own, and you (and maybe your guests, if they last tip the time of their arrival) will likely gobble them up quickly. But if for some reason they don't get devoured, we'd be willing to bet they'd make an excellent crumbled pie crust for Thanksgiving.
Support for LAist comes from
Here's how it's done.
Ingredients
1/2 lb butter
3/4 cup ungranulated white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup dark molasses
3 and 1/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
*makes 2 dozen cookies
Method
Cream the butter, sugar and brown sugar in a mixing bowl until smooth. Slowly add the molasses, then add the eggs and continue to mix.
In a separate bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together and add in to the cookie base.
Support for LAist comes from
Once combined, scoop cookies onto a sheetpan lined with parchment using a 2 oz portion scoop. Chill the scooped dough until firm. Then preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
Just prior to baking, roll each cookie dough ball in granulated sugar. Bake cookies at 325 degrees for 18-25 minutes, turning the pan halfway through. Cookies will be set around the edges but soft in the center.
Once cookies are cooled, roll in granulated sugar again.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Heavy rain from the early-season storm could trigger debris flows. Snow is also possible above 7,000 feet. -
Jet Propulsion Laboratory leadership announces that 11% of the workforce is being cut. -
The rock legend joins LAist for a lookback on his career — and the next chapter of his music. -
Yes, it's controversial, but let me explain. -
What do stairs have to do with California’s housing crisis? More than you might think, says this Culver City councilmember. -
Doctors say administrator directives allow immigration agents to interfere in medical decisions and compromise medical care.
Best of LAist