These Sichuan peppercorn gingersnap cookies sit proper on the intersection of acquainted and stunning. At first chew, they style like a basic gingersnap – heat with ginger, cinnamon, and clove. Then, just a few seconds later, the citrusy aroma and delicate numbing warmth of Sichuan peppercorn bloom in your tongue.

I created these cookies as a result of I needed a vacation deal with that feels cozy and acquainted, however with a twist that retains you coming again for an additional chew. These cookies have a daring taste and are fairly spicy! However they don’t seem to be spicy within the chili-pepper sense. As an alternative, Sichuan peppercorn provides a tingling, nearly electrical sensation that makes the spices style brighter and the sweetness extra advanced. Texture-wise, these cookies have crispy edges, chewy facilities, and a agency construction. I coated them with Sichuan peppercorn sugar, additional including crunchiness and aroma.

In case you love daring flavors and aren’t afraid of desserts that lean savory-adjacent, these cookies are for you. In case you’re cooking an edible present for the vacation season, these cookies are an exquisite choice. They’re straightforward to place collectively, enjoyable to speak about, and memorable in a method basic cookies usually aren’t. To make an assorted cookie field, additionally take a look at my almond cookies and walnut cookies.

Key elements

Sichuan peppercorns

As the primary ingredient, freshness issues greater than amount. Lately opened peppercorns ought to odor intensely citrusy and nearly overwhelming when crushed. If yours odor faint, enhance the quantity as famous within the footnote.

My Sichuan peppercorns are the ones from The Mala Market, since they’re all the time tremendous contemporary and potent. However through the years, I’ve seen increasingly manufacturers beginning to carry this spice and also you may be capable to discover them at common grocery shops. Recent Sichuan peppercorns ought to have a pleasant vivid purple shade. If they give the impression of being very darkish and nearly brown, they’re stale. 

It is best to all the time buy entire Sichuan peppercorns and grind them earlier than utilizing, since they lose their aroma in a short time as soon as floor. 

Spice mix

These gingersnap cookies are fairly spice-forward. In comparison with conventional gingersnap cookies, I elevated some spice portions to steadiness out the potent Sichuan peppercorn taste. A mix of floor ginger, clove, cinnamon, and allspice create a wealthy and heat taste. 

Molasses

Molasses provides the cookies depth, shade, and that basic gingersnap chew. Keep away from blackstrap molasses because it’s too bitter for this recipe.

Demerara sugar

The coarse texture provides crunch and visible distinction. Turbinado sugar works in its place.

The right way to make

These Sichuan peppercorn cookies are extraordinarily straightforward to place collectively.

1. Combine the dry elements. Whisk all of the spices along with the flour, together with baking soda and salt. You should utilize a mortar and pestle to grind the Sichuan peppercorns. However I want to make use of a spice grinder, which creates a finer grind that distributes extra evenly.

2. Combine the moist elements. Combine the oil, egg, molasses and brown sugar collectively. Make sure that to whisk the combination till the oil is totally included. In case you nonetheless see a layer of oil floating on the highest, it’s not combined sufficient.

3. Kind the dough. Combine the dry elements into the moist elements. Combine till no dry elements are left. 

4. Form the cookies. Scoop 2 tablespoons of cookie dough, use your palms to roll it right into a ball, then roll to coat with Sichuan pepper sugar. 

Make sure that to depart sufficient area between cookies for them to unfold. Calmly press down the cookie dough earlier than baking. 

5. Bake the cookies. Bake till the cookies are unfold and crackly on high. They are going to be very smooth and look undercooked when scorching, however will agency up considerably as soon as cooled off. 

Retailer the cookies in an hermetic container at room temperature for as much as 5 days. The flavour really deepens after the primary day because the spices settle and the cookies get much more crispy.

When to Serve These Cookies

These are excellent for:

• Vacation cookie containers (particularly if you would like one thing sudden).
• Dinner events the place dessert leans daring somewhat than delicate.
• Gifting to spice lovers and adventurous bakers.

They pair particularly properly with black tea, pu-erh, and low. And naturally, you’ll be able to all the time pair it with a glass of milk.

Regularly requested questions

These spice and molasses-forward gingersnap cookies have a heat taste, citrusy aroma, and numbing tingling warmth of Sichuan peppercorn. They’re fairly daring and make an ideal vacation edible present.

Prepare dinner ModeForestall your display from going darkish

• Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC).

• Combine dry elements: Whisk collectively flour, baking soda, Sichuan peppercorns, floor ginger, floor cloves, floor cinnamon, allspice, and salt in a medium sized bowl.

• Combine moist elements: In a separate massive bowl, mix vegetable oil, egg, molasses, and light-weight brown sugar. Whisk collectively till easy and the oil is totally included. You shouldn’t see oil floating on the highest of the bowl.

• Kind the cookie dough: Combine the dry elements into the moist, till no patches of dry stay and it types a smooth dough.

• Combine the topping: Combine the Demerara sugar and 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns collectively in a shallow bowl.

• Form cookies: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop 2 tablespoons of dough, and roll it between your palms to make a ball. Roll the dough ball within the spiced sugar to coat on all sides, and place on the lined baking sheet, about 3” (7cm) aside. Press the cookie dough ball to flatten barely.

• Bake cookies: Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Cookies will seem unfold and crackly on high, and be barely set in middle. It is going to agency up considerably as soon as cooled off.

• Relaxation and serve: As soon as baked, let the cookies cool off utterly earlier than serving.

Ingredient Substitution Information

1. The amount of Sichuan peppercorn you utilize will extremely rely upon the freshness of your Sichuan peppercorns. If utilizing a top quality product that’s not too long ago opened, observe the recipe and your cookies may have a really sturdy Sichuan peppercorn taste. If the Sichuan peppercorns are much less contemporary, enhance the quantity to 1 tablespoon within the cookie dough, and use 2 teaspoons within the sugar topping. To evaluate the freshness of your Sichuan pepper, it ought to odor very sturdy and nearly overwhelming should you place them near your nostril.

Serving: 1serving, Energy: 222kcal, Carbohydrates: 28.5g, Protein: 2.7g, Fats: 11g, Saturated Fats: 2.2g, Ldl cholesterol: 23mg, Sodium: 240mg, Potassium: 74mg, Fiber: 0.7g, Sugar: 14.3g, Calcium: 24mg, Iron: 1mg

Did you make this recipe?

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Emily Drucker is part of the Omnivore’s Cookbook staff and labored carefully with Maggie to develop and take a look at this recipe.