Recipe: Charleston Plantation Cookies

CHARLESTON PLANTATION COOKIES
Source: Louis Osteen's Charleston Cuisine
Makes about twenty-four (2-inch) cookies

These are great served warm from the oven with your favorite ice cream, but you'll probably need to double the recipe - the cookies are that good.

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg
6 tablespoons sorghum or black molasses
1 cup chopped unsalted dry-roasted peanuts, divided
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/3 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350F. Line 2 heavy-duty baking sheets with aluminum foil or parchment paper.

Using the flat beater, beat 1 cup of the sugar and all of the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until the mixture is light in color.

Beat in the egg. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in the sorghum or molasses. Beat in 1/2 cup of the peanuts.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Add to the dough and mix well, scraping down the bowl at least once.

In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1/2 cup of peanuts with the remaining 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of sugar.

Scoop out the dough 2 tablespoons at a time. Form the dough into balls about the size of golf balls. Roll them in the peanut and sugar mixture and place on the lined baking sheets.

Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 20 to 24 minutes. About half way through the baking, switch the sheets from one rack to the other and reverse them back to front. This ensures more even baking.

The cookies should be watched closely at the end of the cooking time. As soon as the edges are set,they are finished baking. They can overcook very quickly. Remove cookies from the oven and place on wire baking racks to cool.

Stored in an airtight container, they will keep for several days. They also freeze well.