Yield: 30 to 35 cookies.
2 cups old-fashioned whole rolled oats
1⅔ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
¼ cup molasses
Icing:
1½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
6 tablespoons heavy cream
Pinch of ground ginger, if desired
For the cookies: In a food processor, pulse oats 10 to 12 times.
In a medium bowl, whisk pulsed oats, flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and cloves. Set aside.
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to cream together butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar, about 2 minutes. Add egg and molasses, and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down sides of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine.
Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix on low until just combined. Dough will be thick and somewhat sticky. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for 30 to 45 minutes or up to overnight in the refrigerator.
When ready to bake, let dough soften on the counter for 15 to 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
Scoop about 1½ to 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie and place 3 inches apart on sheets. Bake for 12 to 13 minutes until edges are lightly browned but centers remain soft.
Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
For the icing: In a medium bowl, use a fork or whisk to combine powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and heavy cream. Whisk in a small pinch of ground ginger, if desired. Lightly dip the tops of the cookies into the icing and place on wire rack. Icing will set after a few hours.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
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