Chewy Caramel & Ginger Cookies | gf

The cheek numbing cold out here has turned into stormy and mild, almost spring, weather. The steel grey ocean is powerful and the strong winds are an effective cure for a busy mind.I thought that it would be hard - not to say impossible - to wind down and find the mindspace to actually take some time off this year.But as the days grow closer to Christmas, I find myself involuntarily snoozing until mid-morning, absentmindedly wandering around the house picking dead leaves from our sad plants and worrying more about whether or not Lady Mary will marry Lord Gilliamham, than what Christmas gifts I should get for my family.I almost feel like I'm done with Christmas already. I can't help but let my mind skip ahead to the new beginnings of January. Yet at the same time, I'm lost in old dreams and unresolved battles, after last Saturday having said goodbye to my favorite band/faithful companions since I was 13 years old.But memories of childhood and early teens also brings back memories of Christmas celebrations spend with family. The tree decoration, early morning excitement, the chance to stay home from school (in which I wasn't very happy) for two full weeks and to indulge in uninterrupted reading/drawing/gaming/mixtape making.I have one last recipe to share with you before I officially unplug for the holiday. Over the past weeks I've been making countless batches of these soft ginger cookies. I wanted to make something that wasn't a gingersnap but still had the same spicy holiday quality. Chewy caramel cookies ("kolasnittar" as we say in Sweden) has always been one of my favorites, and my grandma used to make a delectable version with chocolate that was always devoured in no time. The "caramel" quality here is not the runny kind that you might think of, but rather the "burnt sugar" kinda flavor and slight chewiness to the cookies.My recipe is spiced with ginger and orange zest, and sweetened with honey and coconut sugar for that nutty, caramel flavor. They are crispy around the edges and soft in the middle. Each bite is literally bursting with flavors, and my favorite way to enjoy them are with a cup of strong black tea.If you're also a bit tired of gingersnaps but still want something sweet with a little kick to it, to enjoy in the afternoon, this is the perfect recipe for you. Aaand since I'm all into wholesome ingredients, I made the cookies gluten free and free of refined sugar. Recipe after the jump!Psst! I have a special New Years letter planned for my email club, where I'll be sharing all my goals and hopes for 2017 (both business and personal). I'm thinking a lot about change right now, and I feel like I'm on the verge of a fundamental shift in lifestyle and mindset. If you wanna follow along on that journey, the email list is the place to be. This is where I share all these deeply personal contemplations. You can read more about it and sign up on the Cashew Kitchen Letters page. Note: You can of course use salted butter if you like, but skip the extra salt in the recipe then. 

Chewy Caramel & Ginger Cookies | gf

makes around 20 small cookies50g unsalted butter, room tempered3 tbsp coconut sugar1 tbsp runny honey1/3 tsp vanilla bean powder3/4 tsp ground dried gingerzest from 1/2 orangepinch of salt1/3 cup + 1 tbsp (1 dl) buckwheat flour1/4 cup brown rice flour1/2 tsp baking powdersesame seeds, to garnishDirectionsHeat oven to 180'C / 355'F. Combine room tempered butter with coconut sugar, honey, vanilla bean powder, ginger, orange zest and salt. In a separate bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Gradually add flour to the wet mixture until it's all combined. Don't overwork it. Let the dough firm up in the fridge for about 30 min.Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Take out the dough from the fridge and divide it in two. Roll each part to a strip, about 1,5x1,5 inches (3-4 cm) thick and about 8- 9 inches (20-23 cm) long. If the dough is too sticky to form you can sprinkle some buckwheat flour on your hands and on the dough.Lay the strips next to each other on the baking tray, with plenty of space in between. Flatten them out slightly.Bake in over for about 14 minutes, or until golden. Sprinkle the sesame seeds on top after about half the baking time. When the cookies have browned around the edges and looks firm in the middle, you can take the tray out and make diagonal cuts across the cookie strips (I made mine about 1 inch wide). Let cool completely (but hurry up to eat one before the rest of the family finds out ;-)Store cookies in a jar in the pantry.I found this instruction video from Köket. It's in Swedish but it will show you how to form the dough and cut the cookies (as I of course forgot to photograph the process...)xoAgnesAll photographs, recipes and content are Cashew Kitchen originals, unless otherwise indicated. Feel free to go wild on pinning, but always link back here and credit Cashew Kitchen when sharing. Thanks!