Spiced Sweet Potato Cookies

Special equipment

stand mixer, baking sheet, parchment paper

Ingredients

serves makes 2 dozen cookies, active time 15 minutes, total time 2 hours

• 1 1/2 cups plus 4 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses
• 1/2 cup mashed sweet potato (see note)

Procedures

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves; set aside.
   
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter, sugar, and light brown sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg, vanilla, and molasses, and beat to combine. Add sweet potato puree and beat until well incorporated. Add dry ingredients to the bowl and mix until it just comes together. Wrap dough in plastic wrap (it will be soft) and chill in refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
   
3. Adjust oven rack to upper and lower middle positions and preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
   
4. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets. Bake until browned and darkened at the edges, about 12 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Cooled cookies can be kept in a airtight container for up to 3 days.