Today I decided to make these blond cookies based on the old style chewy molasses cookies. It started with my curiousity for sweetened condensed milk and how it could be utilized in other ways (i.e. I’ve seen SO many dulce de leche things lately that I’m no longer curious about making it). I figured it could replace other thick syrupy things like molasses. Since I love chewy molasses cookies, I decided to create a cookie based on these and thus My Blond Ambition was created!
Why Blond Ambition? I am a child of the 80’s and listened to Madonna until my ears nearly bled. Maddona’s Blond Ambition tour occurred in 1990, my senior year of high school. As I made these blond cookies all I could think about was Madonna and her music, so that became my preferred name for these spicy little cookies.
I started with a recipe for chewy molasses cookies and switched it to use entirely white sugar and increased to 2 eggs. I decreased the butter a bit and replaced molasses with sweetened condensed milk. I opted to use a spice blend more indicative of a gingersnap and threw in some cardamom and cayenne for kicks!
The dough came out pale as desired, and with a simple swipe of dough to my lips it seemed to have the right spice combination. Gingery flavor, followed by the other spices with just a hint of warmth at the end. This should be a new Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor!
My Blond Ambition (aka, blond ginger cookies?)
2 1/4 cup flour
1 cup sugar (plus 1/3 cup to roll cookies)
1 4 oz. stick of butter, softened
2 eggs
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/8 tsp. cayenne
Cream together the butter and sugar. Mix in the eggs, vanilla, and condensed milk – mix until combined Add remaining ingredients, mixing until fully combined. The dough will be soft.
Use a spoon (or fingers!) to drop ~2 tablespoons of dough into the reserved 1/3 cup sugar. The dough is soft and sticky, so toss it with your fingers to coat in sugar. Once it is coated, you can handle it better. Roll between your two palms to form a ball, then place onto a greased or silpat lined baking sheet. Leave 2-3 inches between the balls.
Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. I slightly under bake them so they are more tender and chewy. Once they flatten and the centers puff up, I take them out — at about 10 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes before moving to a cooling rack. Makes about 2 dozen.
The cookies will flatten as they cool, but should remain soft and slightly chewy. The sugar creates a nice crinkly-crackly finish. They taste great — sweet and spicy. Next time, I might add in a bit more butter to make them thinner. I’m not sure if adding another egg would help to make them chewier (?). Having said this, they’re really good just the way they are! I think the spice blend works well and likely wouldn’t change it at all.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Great post! I prefer an “e” at the end of blonde though :) I think Madonna would be proud.
Thanks! It’s funny you mention the ‘e’ — I didn’t realize there was a masculine and feminine form of the word (blond vs. blonde). I’ve always used blonde. When I looked up Madonna’s tour, she called it ‘Blond Ambition’ … to give it a masculine spin. I guess that explains her business suits with bras during that time period :-)
YES! FINALLY a dessert named after my favorite Jessica Simpson movie of 2008! Hahaha. I absolutely love what you’ve done here. I do think that condensed milk deserves a lot more respect. I think I may try these one day, swapping out some spices for more “kiddie” flavors like nuts or butterscotch chips. Thanks for the recipe.
I don’t suggest adding an egg, it will cause the cookies to rise more and make them cakey. You should swap out the white for brown sugar or use a combination, even if the blondeness/ blondicity/ blonditude might be decreased a little bit (yay brunettes). Brown sugar is more hygroscopic, making a chewier cookie, white sugar makes them crisipier.
Allan, I guess Patsy Cline cookies don’t have the same ring to them? lol
You’re showing us all up with your baking, way to go!
Oh cookies, cookies. I really don’t need any (the scale scare me the other day) but how delicious they look and feel and taste…
Condensed milk, ginger, cinnamon, butter, you are killing me here Allen. Hahaha. Great job!
Allen,
These are going to my to try list immediately – I’m a cookie addict and Brazilians love sweetened condensed milk. We are absolutely crazy for the stuff – most of our dessert recipes call for it.
The cookies look wonderful and I love how you named them. :)
Manggy: Ok, you ruined it for me! I didn’t even know Jessica Simpson had a movie by this name. And, if you keep using big words like “hygroscopic”, you might get banned from my blog :-) I’ll try it with a mix of brown sugar next time — thanks for the tip!
Peter: Haha, well I couldn’t call them “I fall to pieces” … that would be tragic!
Ben: Don’t be scared by a cookie, just run a few more miles on the treadmill :-)
Patricia: Thanks for stopping by! I hope you give these a try — maybe use a mix of half white and brown sugars as Manggy suggested. I just saw your amazing focaccia bread — it looks SO good!
Patricia – I use condensed milk in almost every possible way to subsititue sugar and cream – in coffee, tea and even as a spread on toast. The Nestle condensed milk in squeezable bottle is awesome.
Yum these look good and really unique. They are headed into the to try file…
Wow great idea to use condensed milk in a cookie like that! I’m going to have to try it. :)
These are next on my list! (perhaps after Chocolate-Marbled Banana Bread!)
Thanks for experimenting~
I just made these for my coworkers and they were enjoyed by all. Thanks for the interesting recipe!