Recipe Testing: Amethyst Geode Cookies

I got the idea for these from my friend Erin at The Spiffy Cookie. Look at her version! Aren't they cute?!? But I didn't want to use artificial food dyes, so I set out to try a more natural version by making the outside layer a gingerbread dough and using a vegetable-derived dye for the pink/purple.

My first attempt was described as looking like raw abalone. Hmmm...that's not appealing. So, this is my second attempt. And the comments were: 'they aren't round like a geode'; 'the outside needs to be more rough'; and 'these are a huge improvement over the first ones.' Okay. I'll take that.

Ingredients makes 3 dozen

• 1-1/2 C (3 sticks) butter, room temperature
• 2 C organic powdered sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 t pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 t ginger oil
• 3-1/2 C + 2 T and more flour, as needed 
• 2 T unsulphured molasses
• 2 T unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 t ground cinnamon
• 1/2 t ground nutmeg
• 1/4 t ground cardamom
• food dye
• colored sprinkles
• Also needed: parchment paper, rolling pin

Procedure

Basic Dough
Cream butter and sugar together until lightened and fluffy. Beat in eggs and extracts. Then add in the 3-1/2 C flour and stir, with a wooden spoon, until it comes together in a ball. Divide the dough in half, then divide one half into half again. Place in separate bowls.

Gingerbread Dough
In one bowl, add molasses, cocoa powder, and 2 T flour. Knead together until incorporated into a brown dough. Use more flour if needed so that it's not too sticky. Set aside.

Colored Dough
Add food dye to one of the smaller balls and knead until color is evenly incorporated. Use more flour if needed so that it's not too sticky. Set aside.

To Assemble

On piece of parchment paper, roll out the gingerbread cookie dough into a rectangle, approximately 12" x 6. Roll out the basic cookie dough into the same size and place on top of the gingerbread dough. Roll lightly roll to adhere them together.

Next, roll out the colored dough into the same size. Spread 3 T of sprinkles in a center strip over the dough. Press lightly to adhere to the dough, then roll up into a log.

Place the color dough log on top of the stacked gingerbread and basic dough. Roll that around the colored dough, squeezing lightly to adhere the dough together into a large log. Roll the entire log in parchment paper, twisting the ends to seal it. Then chill in the fridge for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Remove chilled cookie dough from fridge and slice into 1/4" thick coins. Place them on prepared baking sheet, approximately an inch apart.

Sprinkle center with additional sprinkles, in the location of where crystals might follow the rock. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes.

In the end, they still didn't really like this version, urging me to do better. I think they're a little spoiled. But, yes, if they aren't a hit, I'll try again later. Now, I'm going to retreat to the patio with a book and a glass of wine and ignore my kitchen critics.