Cranberry Moscow Mule Gingersnaps Recipe

Cranberry Moscow Mule Gingersnaps

2.5

(2)

2 Reviews

These soft and cakey cookies are packed with freshly grated ginger, ginger syrup, and dried cranberries rehydrated in vodka.

Vallery Lomas

Updated on July 20, 2023

Tested by

Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Cranberry Moscow Mule Gingersnaps — Photo:
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver

Active Time:

20 mins

Total Time:

4 hrs 45 mins

Yield:

About 2 dozen cookies

With freshly grated ginger, ginger syrup, and ground dried ginger, cookbook author Vallery Lomas’ drop cookies pack a punch. Speckled with lime zest and vodka-plumped dried cranberries, the namesake Moscow mule cocktail is well represented in these soft and cakey cookies. As the hot oven activates the baking powder, the cookies puff up and expand, causing the powdered sugar coating to crack and form a leopard-like crinkled pattern. While the alcohol evaporates in the baking process, you can make a completely booze-free version by rehydrating the cranberries in lemon-lime soda. Ginger syrup can be found at specialty grocery stores and online at kingarthurbaking.com.

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Ingredients

1 cup sweetened dried cranberries (4 3/4 ounces)
1/2 cup (4 ounces) vodka or lemon-lime soda
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (7 1/2 ounces)
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup ginger syrup (such as Ginger People)
1 tablespoon grated lime zest (from 2 limes)
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions

Place dried cranberries in a small microwavable bowl. Add vodka, pressing cranberries to submerge. Microwave on high until steaming, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let stand until cranberries are plump, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside, reserving cranberry-flavored vodka for another use.
Whisk together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Whisk together brown sugar, butter, ginger syrup, lime zest, and grated fresh ginger in a large bowl until smooth and evenly combined, about 30 seconds. Add eggs; whisk until combined, about 30 seconds. Whisk in flour mixture until just combined. Fold in plumped cranberries until evenly dispersed throughout dough. Cover and refrigerate dough until thoroughly chilled and firm, at least 4 hours or up to 1 day.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Place powdered sugar in a bowl. Using a 1 1/2-inch cookie scoop, drop a dough ball (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) into powdered sugar, and roll until heavily coated. Place coated dough ball on a parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Repeat procedure to form 12 cookie dough balls, spacing at least 2 inches apart. Bake in preheated oven until cookies are puffed in center and lightly browned around edges, 9 to 11 minutes. Remove from oven. Let cookies cool on baking sheet 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; serve warm, or let cool completely. Repeat scooping, rolling, and baking process with remaining cookie dough and remaining powdered sugar.