These ginger cookies always get me in the holiday mood. Warm spices, soft centers, and a sugar crust that’s hard to resist. They’re comforting, classic, and disappear quickly!
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
These old-school ginger cookies are soft, chewy, and loaded with spice, and I like adding a sugar sprinkle to for that perfect bite.
I had no idea ginger cookies were one of my husband’s favorites until I made this recipe! They’re perfect with coffee or a cold glass of milk – fresh from the oven or straight from the freezer.
- They’re rich with molasses flavor. If you’re a fan of classic gingerbread, you’ll love the deep, warm taste in every chewy bite.
- I bake these ginger cookies every fall without fail. They’re nostalgic, cozy, and the perfect bite with a cup of tea, a lot like my gingerbread cookies.
- They’re perfectly spiced. The cinnamon, cloves, and that golden color give them that nostalgic, fall flavor I crave all times of year.
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Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Light Brown Sugar: This will add a delicious, caramel-like sweetness to our ginger cookies, making them rich and flavorful.
- Shortening: It’s going to give our cookies a soft, tender texture, and a slightly buttery flavor.
- Egg: This will act as a binding agent, holding all of our ingredients together and giving our cookies a bit of structure. For a bit of crunch, you can add chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans to the cookie dough.
- All-Purpose Flour: This is the base of our cookie dough, providing the structure and helping our cookies hold their shape.
- Baking Soda: This is the leavening agent that will our cookies the perfect rise.
- Ground Ginger: It’s the star of the show! It’s going to give our cookies that warm, spicy flavor that we all love in ginger cookies. If you’re a fan of ginger, you can increase the amount of ground ginger in the recipe for a spicier, more intense flavor.
- Ground Cinnamon: This will add a sweet, slightly spicy flavor to our cookies, complement the ginger, and give them a bit of depth.
- Ground Cloves: They have a strong, pungently sweet flavor that will add a warm, spicy note to our cookies.
- Salt: It might seem like an odd addition to a sweet recipe, but it actually helps to balance out the flavors and make everything tastes a little bit sweeter.
- Granulated Sugar: We’ll use this to roll our cookie dough in before baking, giving our cookies a sweet, slightly crunchy exterior.
How to Make Ginger Cookies
Preparation
To start, preheat your oven to 375˚F and prepare your baking pan. This is important to make sure that your cookies bake evenly and don’t stick to the pan.
Step 1 – Mix the Wet Ingredients
Combine the brown sugar, shortening, molasses, and egg in a bowl. Use an electric mixer to blend these ingredients together until they are well incorporated.
Step 2 – Add the Dry Ingredients
Next, add the flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, and ground cloves. Stir these ingredients together until they are well blended with the wet mixture.
Step 3 – Shape the Cookies
Take small amounts of the dough and roll them into balls. Then, roll the dough balls in granulated sugar to coat them.
Step 4 – Bake the Cookies
Place the coated dough balls on your prepared baking sheet and bake them in the preheated oven. After 10-12 minutes, the cookies should be set and the dough will have cracked.
Step 5 – Cool and Enjoy
Once the cookies are baked, remove them from the oven and let them cool. After they have cooled, they are ready to be enjoyed.
Lynette’s Tip
To make the best ginger cookies, be careful not to over-bake them. You want these cookies to be golden brown and not crispy around the edges. This will provide the perfect soft and chewy texture that makes a great ginger snap.
Recipe Variations
- Different Spices: While this recipe calls for ground cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, feel free to experiment with other warm spices like nutmeg or allspice for a different flavor profile.
- Add Nuts: For a bit of crunch, you can add chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans to the cookie dough.
- Extra Ginger: If you’re a fan of ginger, you can increase the amount of ground ginger in the recipe for a spicier, more intense flavor.
Make Ahead Instructions
If you want to make these ahead, like other Christmas cookies, you can freeze them in a freezer storage bag for up to six months.
Recipe FAQs
A good ginger cookie is soft and chewy on the inside with a slightly crisp exterior. It should be well-spiced with a good balance of ginger, cinnamon, and other spices. Rolling the dough in sugar before baking adds a nice crunch and extra sweetness.
The cookies are done when the edges are set but the center is still slightly soft. They will continue to firm up as they cool, so be careful not to over-bake them. The tops of the cookies will also develop a cracked appearance when they’re done.
Storing and Reheating
- Storing: Once your ginger cookies have cooled, store them in an airtight container. They’ll stay fresh at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- Freezing: You can also freeze the cookies for up to 6 months. Just make sure to let them cool completely before placing them in a freezer-safe bag or container. When ready to enjoy, simply let the cookies thaw at room temperature. They’ll be just as delicious as the day you baked them.
More Cookie Recipes You’ll Enjoy
Ginger Cookies
Equipment
- electric mixer
Ingredients
- 1 Cup light brown sugar packed
- 3/4 Cup shortening
- 1/4 Cup molasses
- 1 egg
- 2 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375˚ F. Line your baking pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Beat brown sugar, shortening, molasses, and egg in a large bowl using an electric mixer. Blend well on medium speed until well incorporated.
- Add the remaining ingredients except for the granulated sugar. Stir together until blended well.
- Take a rounded teaspoonful of dough and roll it into a ball. Roll it around in a bowl of granulated sugar until fully covered. Place the dough balls on the baking sheet approximately 3 inches apart.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are just set and the dough has cracked. Remove from the baking pan and let cool.
Notes
My Favorite Variations:
- Different Spices: While this recipe calls for ground cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, feel free to experiment with other warm spices like nutmeg or allspice for a different flavor profile.
- Add Nuts: For a bit of crunch, you can add chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans to the cookie dough.
- Extra Ginger: If you’re a fan of ginger, you can increase the amount of ground ginger in the recipe for a spicier, more intense flavor.
If I use butter instead of shortening will it effect the cookies?
Yes, and no. Shortening gives a fluffier texture. Butter has more water content and will flatten the cookie out. However, both will have great flavor.