Grains of Paradise Orange Cookies

Today’s cookie flavour is grains of paradise orange butter cookie with the bright citrus flavour complementing the sharp, slightly spicy grains of paradise. A cookie that might make you feel like you are in paradise. These dairy-free and egg-free cookies are perfect for your Christmas cookie box.

What is Grains of Paradise?

Aframomum plants, part of the ginger/cardamom family, can be found all across the continent, producing edible aromatic seeds with flavours that range from spicy to cardamom. A subcategory of these aframomum plants are labelled as alligator pepper/grains of paradise/melegueta pepper. Grains of paradise/ alligator pepper/ melegueta pepper is a “false peppercorn”. It consists of tiny red seeds that have a sharp and bright pepperish flavour similar to black peppercorn but with a different undertone and aroma. In two, we call it efom wisa because it grows close to the ground and harvested from bright red pods. There is a bit of confusion around grains of paradise/alligator pepper because they refer to several aframomum plants. I wrote all about it in my Orange Grains of Paradise Cake recipe. The most important thing is to use West African varieties that have a pepperish sharp flavour.

The History of Grains of Paradise

There are written records of this spice detailing its use throughout the centuries. Before the age of exploration, they were traded across the Sahara desert from West Africa to Europe as an alternative to black peppercorn. Some forms of the Moroccan spice – ras el hanout – use grains of paradise as an ingredient. By the 15th century, they were still used in Europe as a substitute for black pepper but imported directly from West Africa. They were used to flavour food, and more popularly, various kinds of alcoholic drinks. By the 18th century, its use was severely curtailed after the British Parliament forbade it as a flavouring agent. Simultaneously, taste preferences had changed, and black pepper was much easier to access. To this day, popular gin brands still use it as a botanical for their drinks, sourced from farms across West Africa. However, much of the world (except for gin distillers) does not know about it beyond West and North Africa.

Traditional West African Uses

Grains of paradise are not only used to flavour food but are a big part of traditional medicine and cultural practices. They are prescribed as an aphrodisiac, used to reduce inflammation and pain, and promote wound healing etc. Beyond the medicinal uses, it is used in traditional naming ceremonies, to welcome guests and at many more cultural functions.

Why do I love this pepper with orange?

These “peppercorns” offer a pungent, pepper-ish flavour that lingers at the back of your tongue. It has a citrus and herby undertone that makes it unique. Orange can be a strong citrus flavour, but pairing it with grains of paradise gives it a counterbalance. We use grains of paradise in our savoury spice blends and in our drinks so why not use it in a cookie?

Where can you find grains of paradise (plus Substitutions)?

1. Your local African store sells them. These are usually sold as alligator pepper or grains of paradise. Try to buy the peppercorns, not the dried root where you have to remove the peppercorns yourself.
2. Niche spice markets
   • In Canada, online stores like Silk Road Spice Merchant or Spice Merchant sell it. Online Nigerian store MyChopChop also stock it.
   • In the US, The Spice House is a good option. Serious Eats has a few American options.
3. Burlap and Burrel do not sell the right grains of paradise for this dish; theirs is sourced from Ethiopia, which is actually another type of Aframomum plant known as Aframomum corrorima (also known as korarima). It tastes like cardamom. It can work but it is a different flavour profile.
4. You can substitute it with black peppercorn. They have been alternatives of each other for years so you are welcome to give it a try.

What you will need for this recipe

• Orange: We will be using both the zest and juice for the cookie batter and then frosting. You can use any sweet citrus fruit but you cannot go wrong with a navel orange. Blood orange will be cool too.
• Sugar: For this recipe, we are using white granulated sugar. Castor sugar should work okay but the weight per volume will be different. I do not recommend brown or any other alternative sugar as sugar (both the type or combination of sugar) in baked goods does not only serve the role of a sweetener but is important in the texture and cooking process of the cookie.
• Butter: I use a vegan-friendly butter for my recipes. Make sure the butter is soft and at room temperature
• Apple Sauce: I use this as an egg replacer for extra moisture.
• Grains of Paradise: Grind into a fine powder for maximum flavour distribution.
• Cornstarch: this reduces spreading and makes the butter cookie nice and fluffy
• Flour: This recipe is made with all-purpose flour. Cake flour can be a great alternative for a softer cookie.
• Orange
• Salt: Salt helps to bring out flavour and balance out the sweetness.

How to make Orange Grains of Paradise Cookies

• Mix the orange zest with sugar to bring out more of the orange flavour
• Cream the zested sugar with the plant-based butter
• Add the apple sauce and extra orange juice

• Add the dry ingredients, including the grains of paradise
• Mix everything to form a dough
• Roll the cookies between two sheets of parchment paper

• Cut out with your favourite cookie cutter and bake at 320°F for 12 minutes.
• The frosting is just orange zest, orange juice, more grains of paradise and icing sugar.
• Decorate to your heart’s content and make sure to sprinkle some extra grains of paradise on top.

Storage

Storing baked and frosted cookies. These cookies stay fresh for a few days at room temperature. After which they can become stale. To avoid this, you can place them in an airtight container and put them in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Freezing raw cookie dough. You can freeze cookies at many stages of making it. Once your raw cookie dough has come together, you can roll it out and wrap it in plastic wrap before freezing. To bake, just thaw on your counter then proceed with the cooking instructions.

Freezing baked cookies. You can also bake the cookies and freeze them before frosting. Make sure they have fully cooled before freezing them. Once the cookies are frosted, you can also freeze them. Make sure to freeze them on a baking sheet before packing them into a bag or container. For double protection, separate cookies with parchment paper. To enjoy these frozen cookies, allow them to thaw on the counter or microwave for up to 30 seconds for a faster process.

Check out the rest of the Christmas Cookies

• Double Chocolate Teff Cookies (instead of teff, I used millet)
• Moringa Lemon Cookies
• Roasted Millet and Peanut Cookie
• Dawa Dawa Chocolate Cookie
• Spiced Tamarind Sandwich Cookie