Molasses Cookies With Bourbon Ice Cream

Name: Molasses Cookies With Bourbon Ice Cream
Yield: 10
Cuisine: American

Photo: Heather Mubarak

April 03, 2023

Warm, cozy spices and whiskey come together in the ultimate ice cream sandwich.

Heather Mubarak, keeper of the Browned Butter Blondie website, professes her love for molasses in her cookbook Stuffed: The Sandwich Cookie Book. She adds the viscous sweetener to her recipes for cookies, cakes, and pies. And here, her molasses cookies are “loaded with heaps of warm, cozy spices … and rolled in a coating of sugar for extra texture and crunch.” But for the pièce de résistance, Mubarak creates the ultimate sweet sammy with a generous scoop of bourbon ice cream.

Ingredients

Yield:10-12

4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
4 tsp. ground ginger
1 Tbsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup molasses (not blackstrap)
2 eggs, at room temperature
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Bourbon Ice Cream
1 1/2 cups whole milk, cold
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. vanilla extract
pinch of kosher salt
2 1/2 cups heavy cream, cold
2 to 3 Tbsp. bourbon

Tools:small bowl, medium bowl, large bowl, whisk, stand mixer, hand mixer, cookie scoop, 2 baking sheets, cookie cutter, electric ice cream maker, baking dish

Preparation

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt until well combined. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the shortening, vegetable oil, brown sugar, and 1⁄2 cup [100 g] of the granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until well combined. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the molasses and mix on low speed until incorporated. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, until well combined. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture 1 cup [125 g] at a time until combined. Stop the mixer when a few streaks of flour remain.

Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and use a sturdy spatula to fold the batter together until well combined, being careful not to overmix. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

While the dough chills, preheat the oven to 350°F [180°C]. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Place the remaining 1⁄4 cup [50 g] of granulated sugar in a small bowl.

After 30 minutes, remove the dough from the refrigerator and use a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the dough into balls. Roll the balls in the granulated sugar to cover on all sides. Place the cookie dough balls 2 inches [5 cm] apart on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 11 to 12 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are set and the centers are puffed up. Do not overbake. The cookies will continue to bake as they cool. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes before using a spatula to carefully transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

For best results, freeze for 30 minutes before assembling the ice cream sandwiches.

Bourbon Ice CreamIn a large bowl, combine the milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt and mix with a hand mixer on medium-high speed to combine well. Add the heavy cream and mix for 1 minute. Stir bourbon into the ice cream mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.

Stir the mixture and then churn it in an electric ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions. The ice cream will be soft and creamy.

Line a 9-by-13-inch [23-by-33-cm] baking dish with wax paper.

Once churned, transfer the ice cream to the prepared baking dish. Use a spatula to spread the ice cream into the corners of the pan and level the top.

Freeze overnight or until solid.

Store tightly covered in the freezer and use within 2 months.

To Assemble the Ice Cream SandwichesUse a cookie or biscuit cutter the same size as the cookies to cut rounds of the bourbon ice cream. Carefully place the ice cream on the flat side of one cookie and top with a second cookie, flat-side down. Gently press together to form a sandwich. Repeat with the remaining cookies and ice cream. Immediately place the sandwiches in the freezer for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Store the cookies (without ice cream) in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Once the ice cream sandwiches are assembled, keep tightly wrapped in the freezer for up to 2 months.

NoteIf using store-bought ice cream, prepare it ahead of time: Soften the ice cream at room temperature and use a large spatula to spread it into a parchment-lined 9-by-13-inch [23-by-33-cm] baking pan. Use an offset spatula to level the top, working quickly so that the ice cream doesn’t melt completely. Freeze overnight.