Soft Ginger Cookies

Soft Ginger Cookies

 We’re getting so close to Christmas and I can’t wait!  I love Christmas!  I especially love baking all kinds of fun goodies to share with family and friends.  This year is no exception!  I have been baking away and this is a great year to share the holiday cheer with yummy baked cookies!  Ginger is always a festive favorite for the holiday season.  It is such a warm, delicious spice that just says Christmas.  I tend to gravitate towards a soft cookie, rather than a chewy or crunchy cookie, and these ginger cookies are just that, nice and soft!  They are filled with fresh ginger, and other great holiday spices: cinnamon, clove, and allspice.  These cookies definitely taste like the holidays! I think they will become a new Christmas tradition in our home for years to come!

Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

¼ cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup powdered sugar

1 egg

1 tbsp Blackstrap molasses

1 and ½ tbsp freshly grated ginger

1 and ½ cups all-purpose flour

½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp ground allspice

¼ tsp ground clove

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground ginger

To coat the cookie dough:

½ cup turbinado sugar (or regular sugar)

¼ tsp allspice

¼ tsp ground clove

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

¾ tsp ground ginger

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  In a bowl, mix together the butter, brown sugar, sugar, and powdered sugar using a hand-mixer or stand-mixer.  Blend in the egg, molasses, and fresh ginger.  In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, allspice, clove, cinnamon, and ground ginger.  Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir well to combine.  Place the dough in the refrigerator for about 10 to 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the turbinado sugar (or plain sugar), allspice, clove, cinnamon, and ground ginger.  Stir until mixed well.  Scoop out the cookie dough and roll into a ball (just a little smaller than a golf ball.)  (I use a 1 and ½ tablespoon cookie scoop).  Roll the dough in the sugar and spice mixture and place on a baking sheet sprayed with baking spray (kind of like making snickerdoodles).  Place the cookie dough balls about 1-2 inches apart.  Repeat for the remaining cookie dough.  Bake on 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 8-11 minutes.  (Baking times may vary due to size of the cookie and oven temperature variations).  Allow the cookies to cool for about 5 minutes.  Using a spatula, transfer the soft ginger cookies to a cooling rack to continue cooling.  Serve with your favorite holiday drink!

Melissa is a self-taught, home cook with Midwest and Southern style influences. Melissa grew up in the Midwest , and currently lives in South Carolina with her husband, Jon and four dogs. She's been cooking and creating recipes almost her whole life. Melissa enjoys taking photographs of food and dishes she creates.