Spicy Nutty Peppery Jawbreakers
By America's Test KitchenPublished on October 5, 2014
Time
1½ hours, plus 1 hour chilling and 50 minutes cooling
Yield
Makes 36 cookies
Ingredients
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons (7 ⅛ ounces/202 grams) whole wheat pastry flour 2 teaspoons grated orange zest 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground mixed pepper ½ teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg ⅛ teaspoon salt 1 cup unsalted mixed nuts, toasted⅔ cup (4 ¾ ounces/135 grams) turbinado sugar 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened⅓ cup molasses ¼ cup minced crystallized ginger 2 large egg yolks 8 ounces (227 grams) white chocolate, chopped fine2 teaspoons vegetable oil ⅛ teaspoon peppermint extract Sanding sugar
Before You Begin
Mixed peppercorns—a combination of black, white, and red—can be found in most grocery stores; however, black pepper can be used exclusively.
Instructions
- Whisk flour, orange zest, cinnamon, pepper, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt together in bowl. Pulse nuts in food processor until finely ground, about 10 pulses; add to bowl with flour mixture.
- In now-empty food processor, pulse turbinado sugar and butter until combined, about 15 pulses. Add molasses, ginger, and egg yolks and pulse until combined, about 7 pulses. Add flour mixture and pulse until dough forms, about 5 pulses. Transfer to bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Working with 1 tablespoon dough at a time, roll into 3/4-inch balls and space 1 inch apart on prepared sheets (18 cookies per sheet).
- Bake 1 sheet at a time until cookies are firm and lightly browned with cracked tops, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and let cool completely.
- Microwave chocolate in bowl at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted, about 2 minutes. Stir in oil and peppermint extract until smooth. Drizzle chocolate over surface of cookies and immediately decorate with sanding sugar. Let set for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Time
1½ hours, plus 1 hour chilling and 50 minutes coolingYield
Makes 36 cookiesIngredients
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons (7 ⅛ ounces/202 grams) whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground mixed pepper
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted mixed nuts, toasted
⅔ cup (4 ¾ ounces/135 grams) turbinado sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
⅓ cup molasses
¼ cup minced crystallized ginger
2 large egg yolks
8 ounces (227 grams) white chocolate, chopped fine
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
⅛ teaspoon peppermint extract
Sanding sugar
Ingredients
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons (7 ⅛ ounces/202 grams) whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground mixed pepper
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted mixed nuts, toasted
⅔ cup (4 ¾ ounces/135 grams) turbinado sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
⅓ cup molasses
¼ cup minced crystallized ginger
2 large egg yolks
8 ounces (227 grams) white chocolate, chopped fine
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
⅛ teaspoon peppermint extract
Sanding sugar
Ingredients
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons (7 ⅛ ounces/202 grams) whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground mixed pepper
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted mixed nuts, toasted
⅔ cup (4 ¾ ounces/135 grams) turbinado sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
⅓ cup molasses
¼ cup minced crystallized ginger
2 large egg yolks
8 ounces (227 grams) white chocolate, chopped fine
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
⅛ teaspoon peppermint extract
Sanding sugar
Why This Recipe Works
A combination of mixed nuts, orange zest, spices, and molasses packs these cookies with flavor. We used a food processor to bring this dough together quickly without incorporating too much air. This helps give these cookies a rich, dense texture. Drizzling peppermint-flavored white chocolate over them and sprinkling them with sanding sugar adds extra flavor and a contrasting texture.
Before You Begin
Mixed peppercorns—a combination of black, white, and red—can be found in most grocery stores; however, black pepper can be used exclusively.
Instructions
- Whisk flour, orange zest, cinnamon, pepper, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt together in bowl. Pulse nuts in food processor until finely ground, about 10 pulses; add to bowl with flour mixture.
- In now-empty food processor, pulse turbinado sugar and butter until combined, about 15 pulses. Add molasses, ginger, and egg yolks and pulse until combined, about 7 pulses. Add flour mixture and pulse until dough forms, about 5 pulses. Transfer to bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Working with 1 tablespoon dough at a time, roll into 3/4-inch balls and space 1 inch apart on prepared sheets (18 cookies per sheet).
- Bake 1 sheet at a time until cookies are firm and lightly browned with cracked tops, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and let cool completely.
- Microwave chocolate in bowl at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted, about 2 minutes. Stir in oil and peppermint extract until smooth. Drizzle chocolate over surface of cookies and immediately decorate with sanding sugar. Let set for at least 30 minutes before serving.
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