It’s early November, and the seasonal line-ups are changing. Bridgehead and Starbucks are bringing out their rustic, flavourful spices: chai, pumpkin, gingerbread.

`Tis the season of self-indulgence, after all.

I long for the aromatic beauts that are so perfectly placed in the pastry display cases. Chai shortbread. Pumpkin loaf. Ginger cookies. I wait patiently all year for their grand arrival, and then promptly devour them. I can’t control myself. They’re in a league of their own.

If the opportunity presents itself, you can’t just say no.

And if you can, you’re lying.

But I’ve yet to find a good ol’ fashioned ginger-molasses cookie.

The ones I do find are crunchy, far too sweet, and lack the potent heat that I associate with ginger. I’m not looking for a sugar cookie featuring powdered ginger.

I long for the sweet heat that dances across my tongue, lingering after the first bite. It lets me know that everything is OK – that November and December will be happy.

And I had to make things right.

I mean, it isn’t really winter without a good spiced cookie, right?

Val’s Ninja Bread Cookie Recipe

Difficulty Level: 1.1

Can you stir things with your hands?

Warning: Do not inhale cloves. You will regret it. And I’m not joking.

Step One: Flour Powder!

Get a bowl. A fairly decent sized bowl. You want to have room in this thing. This recipe is hands-on. Really.

In they go:

2 cups flour, regular or gluten free
½ cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt

Stir this stuff really well.

Step Two: It’s Getting Hot in Here. So Take Off All Your Cloves.

Fresh, whole spices really work best in this recipe. If you can, grind them yourself.

Add this stuff, too:

2 ½ tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp cloves

Stir. Stir. Stir.

Step Three: Liquefy!

Part the dry goods, making a circle or well in the middle. Pour the following into it:

½ cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
¼ cup molasses
¼ cup milk

Get your hands in there and mix until you have a nice cookie dough consistency.

Step Four: Shake n’ Bake

Preheat your oven to 350F. Grab a cookie sheet and put some parchment paper on it.

Roll your dough between your palms and make thick, flattened ovals.

Bake for 10 – 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

SANJA VALENTINA CIMESA

Val is an aspiring editor and loves all things creative. She splits her time between kitchen shenanigans, painting surrealist pieces, and being an active member of the alternative model community. She travels often with her bicycle, Charlotte.

She has been featured in Snap Oshawa, Carleton University’s Self Defense Ad campaign and Farm Boy’s Recipe section.

Connect with me: Facebook. Twitter. Model Mayhem.

Blogs I follow: Chocolate Covered Katie. Oh She Glows. Cooking Comically.

Behind the counter, a league of baking beauties were working away. Their creations embodied their passions: baking and design. A woman emerged from the back – Karen – and shook my hand. I felt the icing leave her hand and attach itself to mine.

The transformation was complete: I had stepped into Wendy’s bedroom, and Tinkerbelle was nearby, Peter Pan giving her a thimble. The French renaissance furniture, the soft, lulling music, and the scent of sugar masked reality.

Thimblecakes is Bank Street’s allergen-free bakery, catering to celiacs, diabetics, vegans, and the regular. And business has been good.

“People come in and they just need time to figure out what they want,” says Karen. “The average person is excited and overwhelmed with how much we have to offer.”

The owner, Wendy, is a huge environmentalist. Everything is recyclable, and if possible, all food is sourced locally and organically. She wants her beliefs coming through.

‘Tis the season for all things pumpkin, and Thimblecakes has their fair share of squash love. Today we will attempt to recreate the Gluten-free Pumpkin Scone.

Difficulty Level: 6

Mild Prep work. Can you mix things? Yes? Good!

Step One: Pumpkin Carving

Get yourself a baby pumpkin. They’re also called “pie pumpkins”.

Cut it open, throw its entrails into a bowl if you want to roast the seeds later. They're full of healthy fats and protein!

Halve it, glaze it with olive oil, and place it on a baking tray. Into the oven for about 40 minutes at 350F, or until it’s soft when poked by a fork.

Take it out, turn off the oven, and let it cool for about a half hour. Using a spoon, scoop the squash out of its skin and measure out 1 cup. That’s all you need. You can use the rest for soup or pie.

Step Two: Mixer

Combine:

½ cup brown sugar
4 tbsp butter
3 tbsp coconut cream (or more butter)

Mash it together really well.

Add:

½ cup milk
1 ¾ cup gluten free flour blend
Dash salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
Dash: Cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice
1 cup pumpkin, cooked

Mix it all together. Lightly flour a surface and shape it into a circle. Cut it into 6 – 8 triangle pieces. Place it onto the baking tray and bake for 15 – 20 minutes at 350F. Enjoy!

Sanja Valentina Cimesa

She has been featured in Snap Oshawa, Carleton University’s Self Defense Ad campaign and Farm Boy’s Recipe section.

Connect with me: Facebook. Twitter. Model Mayhem.

Blogs I follow: Chocolate Covered Katie. Oh She Glows. Cooking Comically.

Val Cimesa

Gimme Some Shugah

Val’s Ninja Bread Cookie Recipe

SANJA VALENTINA CIMESA

Smashing Pumpkins

Sanja Valentina Cimesa

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