Chewy Ginger Cookies

Loving the aromas of the ginger, cloves and cinnamon cascading throughout the house during the holiday season. These are an all-time favourite Ginger Cookie in my home and they are chewy, yet soft cookie that are so delicious and delightful.  

Ginger cookies are such a traditional holiday cookie to have and whether you make cookies or gingerbread houses. I think growing up in a Hungarian household, our baking was traditionally Hungarian pastries, squares, breads, doughnuts, and cakes. After many years, we started to include other recipes, and many of them you will see on my blog.

Recipe Ingredients:

• organic all-purpose flour: is my preference and use for my baking
• baking soda
• ground ginger
• cinnamon
• cloves
• unsalted butter
• organic fine raw sugar: is the type of sugar I use
• egg
• molasses

Suggestions when making these cookies:

There are many variations of this ginger cookie recipes, and everyone seems to have a favourite, when it comes to flavour and texture. I tend to like a chewy cookie with a soft interior. I have had ginger cookies  that are crispy and ones that were soft, but when it comes to flavour, molasses is a must not only for flavour, and sweetness but it helps to give these cookies their soft interior, along with the creamed butter. I love adding cloves to ginger cookies, it adds that additional pungent spice and rich flavour to the cookies but it compliments the cinnamon and ginger spices so well. With that said……

I tried a couple of recipes I had, and a bit of a hint, if you want a flat cookie that are chewy with a soft interior, then this is the recipe for you! If you prefer a cookie with a thicker interior and less chewy, then don’t beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, only beat for a couple of minutes and don’t flatten them before you put them in the oven, the photo on the left were baked rolled and the cookie in the center I flatten slightly, and finally the cookie on the right is the recipe below, chewy with soft interior. So now you can see the differences.

Butter and sugar slightly beaten, placed rolled cookies on baking sheet, and this was the result.

Butter and sugar slightly beaten, placed rolled cookies on baking sheet and flattened slightly with my hand.

Butter and sugar were beaten until light and fluffy, place rolled cookies on baking sheet and flatten with the bottom of a glass before baking.

Instructions

Preheat oven 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Once you shape the dough into walnut-size balls, (a small scoop will do the trick too) roll them in sugar, then place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Use the bottom of a glass and press gently to flatten them slightly, and it creates perfectly round cookies. Bake for 13-15 minutes, and allow them to cool on the baking sheets on wire racks until cooled completely, as you will notice the cookies will crack as they cool.

Once you remove the cookies from the oven, you will notice they have started to crack, and that’s the goal, a ginger cookie has that texture, and appeal that gives the appearance that represents a ginger cookie and we all gotten to love. The photo on the left is taken soon after the cookies were removed from the oven, without natural lighting, which gives the appearance of a darker cookie. The single cookie is taken with natural lighting, and by whipping the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, the cookie is lighter in colour.

These ginger cookies make a perfect addition to your cookie collection for the holiday season. They are not difficult to make and they outcome will be hit! Enjoy them delicious ginger cookies, and if you were like me, you won’t be able to have just one, or maybe two, or maybe three…:)

Storing

These delicious ginger cookies can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks in a container with a sealed lid. They can be frozen up to 3 months using a freezer safe container with a sealed lid. I find once the cookies are in the freezer for 4 months or more they start loosing their flavour and moist texture.

More Christmas cookies you may like….

• Christmas Walnut Crescent Cookies
• Cranberry Shortbread Cookies
• Chocolate Mocha Crinkle Cookies
• Snowball Cookies

Chewy Ginger Snap Cookies

5 from 2 votes

These classic cookies are a favourite that are filled with rich spices and make a perfect cookie for the holiday season.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 24 minutes mins

Refrigerate: 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 4 minutes mins

Servings: 30

Course: Snack

Cuisine: European

Calories: 86

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 2 cups organic all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 2/3 cup organic fine raw sugar plus more for coating
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1/4 cup molasses

Equipment

• Baking sheet
• electric mixer or hand mixer

Method

 

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.
2. In an electric mixer, cream together butter, and sugar until light and fluffy, for about 5 minutes. Then reduce the speed and add the egg and mix until smooth and add the molasses and mix until well incorporated. Gradually add in the flour mixture, mixing just until the flour is incorporated and forming a soft dough. Important not to overmix. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes,
3. Preheat oven 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
4. Shape the dough into walnut-size balls, roll in sugar, and arrange them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Using the bottom of a glass, gently press the balls to create perfectly round cookies. (If your kitchen is quite warm and the dough balls become soft, set them in the refrigerator until chilled and fairly firm.)
5. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, or until the cookies have spread, and are light golden brown, and the cracks still appear moist. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets set on wire racks until cooled completely. The cookies will crack as they cool.
6. Store the cookies in an airtight container or in a zip-top bag for up to 4 days in the refrigerator, or freeze up to 2 months.

   Make dough ahead: by wrapping the dough in plastic wrap and place it in a zip-lock bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 86kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 1gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 77mgPotassium: 56mgFiber: 1gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 103IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 10mgIron: 1mg

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