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Recipe for molasses-spice cookies with figs and walnuts

Sally Pasley Vargas for The Boston Globe/Globe Freelance

Makes 12 large cookies

Large, tan crystals of turbinado sugar (refined cane sugar) make a sweet and crunchy coating on these cookies. To prepare the figs, use a scissors to snip off the stems (discard them) and cut the fruit into small pieces.

½cup walnuts, chopped
1cup flour
½teaspoon baking soda
¼teaspoon salt
½teaspoon ground cinnamon
½teaspoon ground ginger
teaspoon ground cloves
5tablespoons unsalted butter, at room
temperature
¼cup granulated sugar
¼cup packed dark brown sugar
2tablespoons molasses
1egg yolk
3ounces dried black Mission figs, cut into
raisin-size pieces (to make ½ cup)
3tablespoons turbinado sugar, or more to taste (for sprinkling)

1. Set the oven at 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Have on hand a small baking dish.

2. In the baking dish, spread the walnuts. Toast for 10 minutes or until golden. Leave the oven on.

3. In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves to blend them.

4. In an electric mixer, beat the butter, granulated and brown sugar, and molasses until well blended. Beat in the egg yolk. With the mixer set on its lowest speed, blend in the flour mixture. The mixture will be crumbly at first but continue beating until it comes together to form a dough.

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5. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and stir in the figs and walnuts.

6. Shape the dough into 1½-inch balls. Roll the balls in the turbinado sugar and place on the baking sheets 2 inches apart.

7. Bake the cookies for 15 minutes or until they are almost firm on top and the edges are starting to brown. The cookies will puff, then crack. Transfer the cookies on the parchment to wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Remove the cookies from the paper and set them directly on the racks to cool completely. Jean Kressy