These cookies combine the savory depth of miso, the nuttiness of peanut butter, and the spicy kick of ginger, creating a unique and delicious treat that’s crispy through and through! (With deets below for making a chewier version.) Inspired by a student of mine from Nigeria who used to bring me homemade, spicy ginger snaps, I’ve been chasing that perfect recipe ever since. This version incorporates some of my own favorite flavors like all-natural peanut butter, cayenne powder (optional), and miso paste (I love trying out different homemade pastes but any store-bought is fine; I recommend a red miso but it’s fun to pay around), creating a delightful twist on a classic treat.
Yield:
Makes about 18 cookies.
Equipment List:
- Mixing bowls (large and medium)
- Knife & cutting board (for crystalized ginger)
- Whisk
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Kitchen scale (for grams)
- Spatula
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Cooling rack
Ingredients:
- Peanut butter: 1/4 cup (60 grams)
- Miso paste: 3 tablespoons (45 grams) – any variety but I like a darker, more robust miso in this recipe
- Brown sugar: 1/4 cup (50 grams)
- Molasses: 1 tablespoon
- Granulated sugar: 1/2 cup (100 grams)
- Egg: 1 large
- Vanilla extract: 1 teaspoon
- Fresh ginger: 1 tablespoon, finely grated (6g)
- Crystallized ginger: 1/4 cup, finely chopped
- All-purpose flour: 1 cup (125 grams)
- Baking soda: 1/2 teaspoon
- Baking powder: 1/2 teaspoon
- Salt: 1/2 teaspoon
- Cayenne powder: 1/4 teaspoon, adjust to taste
- Ground cinnamon: 1/2 teaspoon
- Neutral oil: 1-2 teaspoons, for greasing parchment paper
Instructions:
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and evenly spread 1-2 teaspoons of neutral oil over the paper to prevent sticking.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine peanut butter, miso paste, brown sugar (50 grams), molasses, granulated sugar (100 grams), egg, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth and creamy.
- Add Ginger: Add the grated fresh ginger and chopped crystallized ginger to the wet ingredients and mix well.
4. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cayenne powder, and ground cinnamon.
5. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until evenly combined but don’t overwork.
6. Shape Cookies: Scoop out tablespoon-sized amounts of dough and roll into balls. Place them on the prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
7. Bake Options:
- Ginger Snap Version: Flatten each ball by hand to make thinner cookies.
- Chewier Cookie Version: Leave the dough balls as they are for thicker cookies.
- Bake Time: Bake both versions for 14-15 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. If you cannot fit all 18 cookies on the baking sheet, bake them in batches.
8. Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. This will help them crisp up further as they cool. Cooling typically takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
This is an example of the cookie when it isn’t flattened before baking. It will spread out but be thicker with some cracks. It has a crispy exterior but a chewy interior, if this is preferred. (I love both!)
Gosh, those sound delightful, and seems like a perfect use for some of the jar of miso stuffed with garlic cloves in the back of my fridge. A version to fit my preferences would also be less sweet and more savory, maybe a bit sweet & sour as complimented by rye sourdough. btw, When I make rye sourdough discard pancakes, the recipe calls for baking soda but I’ve tried it both ways and, while the soda causes a lot of bubbles when stirred in, the cooked product doesn’t seem any fluffier with or without. That being the case, I prefer to leave it out. I’m curious of what benefit you think the baking soda & powder have in this crispy cookie recipe? Thanks so much, Dear Danny, for the info, inspiration and support of your blog and the community of crazy about fermenting folks it collects. <3
Thanks so much for the feedback and good questions. Using both baking soda and baking powder ensures that your cookies have a balanced lift and texture. The baking soda provides an initial rise when the dough is mixed, while the baking powder offers a sustained rise during baking. For discard pancakes, sourdough discard contains wild yeast and bacteria which can still be quite active. When combined with flour and liquid in your pancake batter, the wild yeast ferments the carbohydrates, producing carbon dioxide that helps the pancakes rise, so you may not have noticed any major difference with the baking soda. The baking soda is presumably used in your recipe just as a safeguard since discard for one reason or another might not always have the results you noticed.