gingerbread latte cookies

I adore coffee.  I adore cookies.  So it should really come as no shock when I name my cookie creations after the wonderful creations that my happy places create.  These little holiday treats?  Those came from good old 'bou.  But these?  These come from the mecca.  The institution.  The 'bucks.

Why am I calling these Gingerbread Latte Cookies?  Simple, really.  They're gingerbread-like, but they are suuuuuper moist and soft.  (Can you also tell that I despise hard cookies?)  I found this recipe on Two Peas and their Pod and knew that I had to work with it - it's not often that I find others share my utility in moist, soft, chewy cookies.  They even added white chocolate chunks to them (which is also one of my favorites, and come to think of it, Caribou's gingerbread latte is white mocha...hmm...), but I decided just to work with the base of the recipe.

The spices all work together nicely - and I think the allspice is key.  Just make sure to cook these little things for a while - they end up very moist and soft even with a longer baking time.  I think I've learned that adding canola oil to cookies and muffins make them extremely doughy, which I think is why you need to bake them longer (and also why my pumpkin chocolate chip cookies were an epic fail.)  Leaving the cookies on the baking sheet after they have finished baking for at least five minutes definitely proved to also be key, too - it allows them to continue to bake and harden a bit while the pan cools.  I also love rolling the dough balls in sugar before baking!  Fun to do and it definitely cuts down on the spice in the cookie.  All in all, this recipe is most certainly a keeper!

Gingerbread Latte Cookies

Adapted slightly from Two Peas and their Pod

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup molasses

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon

1 1/4 teaspoons ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon allspice

2 large eggs

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups white chocolate chunks, optional

1/4 cup granulated sugar for rolling dough

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Cream together butter an sugar until smooth and creamy.
3. Beat in molasses, canola oil, vanilla, baking soda, salt, and spies. Mix until well combined.
4. Add eggs one at a time and beat until smooth. Slowly add in flour. Stir in white chocolate chunks if desired.
5. Form dough into 1/2" dough balls and roll in sugar. Place on lined baking sheets and bake for about 10-12 minutes. Cookies will be very doughy, but let cool on baking sheet for five minutes to allow to harden. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely.