Holiday Baking

The roommates (soon to be former) are throwing a big fancy holiday party and I was asked to make some cookies. Garnet specifically requested the Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies I have made before, and these are delicious as always. I also made molasses cookies, because they are my favorite. I got the recipe off epicurious, although it is originally from Bon Appetit. These cookies came out very well. Mike said that there are a good combination of sugar cookie and molasses cookie, but he would maybe like a little less molasses. I like them as they are. I jst love molasses cookies. I also made the Chai Pumpkin Bread that I saw on 28 Cooks and everybodylovessandwiches. These bread is super-tasty. It is a lot more savory than I expected, but I really like it. I think it would be delicious toasted and spread with a little butter. I also think it would make a great sweet bread, if the amount of sugar was doubled. I would definitely make any of these recipes again.

Molasses Cookies
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cloves
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
3 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
2 large eggs
1) Preheat oven to 325°F. and lightly grease 2 large baking sheets.
2) In a large bowl whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, ginger, cloves, and cinnamon.
3) In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter, shortening, and 3 cups sugar until light and fluffy and beat in molasses. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture and combine well.
4) In a small shallow bowl put remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Form dough into 2-inch balls and roll in sugar. On baking sheets arrange balls about 4 inches apart and flatten slightly with bottom of a glass dipped in sugar.
5) Bake cookies in batches in middle of the oven 15 minutes, or until puffed and golden. (Cookies should be soft.) Transfer cookies with a metal spatula to racks to cool.
Makes about 25 cookies.

Chai Pumpkin Bread
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c butter, at room temperature
1 c canned pumpkin
2 large eggs
2 chai tea bags, steeped in 1/2 c boiling water
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 c all-purpose flour
2/3 c whole-wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp each cardamom, ginger, and black pepper
1/4 tsp each cloves, nutmeg, and allspice
1) Preheat oven to 350.
2) In a large bowl, use a mixer to beat together sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
3_ Add pumpkin, eggs, chai tea liquid, and vanilla and stir until well combined.
4) Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices and stir just until evenly moistened. Pour into prepared 8" loaf pan.
5) Bake 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool at least 20 minutes before serving.