Fresh Ginger Cookies

These Fresh Ginger Cookies let the bold spice of both fresh and candied ginger take center stage! No other spices necessary (cinnamon who?), these cookies are perfect for Christmas, for a cozy Winter day next to the fire, or anytime you're craving a sweet and spicy treat!

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cookies

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 12

Chill Time 1

Total Time 1 32

Servings cookies

Calories 96kcal

Author Amee

Equipment

Baking Sheets
Nonstick Parchment
Microplane Grater
Medium Cookie Scoop (about 1.5 Tablespoons in volume)

Ingredients

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar, packed
3 Tablespoons fresh grated ginger (see note)
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
¼ cup molasses (unsulphured, *not* blackstrap)
1 egg, at room temperature
1 cup chopped candied ginger
sparkling sugar, optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line baking sheets with parchment (see note) and set aside.
Combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, and salt) in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Combine the sugar, brown sugar, and grated fresh ginger (see note) in the bowl of a stand mixer. Let the mixer run for a minute or two to help distribute the ginger throughout the sugar.
Add the butter to the bowl and beat until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Add molasses (see note) and egg and mix to combine.
With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients and mix until nearly incorporated. Add the chopped crystallized ginger and mix to combine.
With a medium cookie scoop (see note), scoop dough onto prepared baking sheets at least 2 inches apart (if using a spoon, each scoop should be about 1.5 tablespoons in volume). Roll the dough into balls, then coat in sparkling sugar, if desired. Chill the dough for one hour. Bake 12-14 minutes, then cool at least 5 minutes on the baking sheet before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
For smaller cookies, use a small cookie scoop (about 1 tablespoon in volume; see note). This recipe will yield about 70 small cookies, which bake up in 11-13 minutes.
The cookie dough will keep in the refrigerator for a few up to three days, or up to three months in an airtight container in the freezer. Once baked, the cookies will keep for up to five days in an airtight container on your counter, or up to three months in the freezer.
Enjoy!

Notes

Note on ginger - While I highly recommend fresh ginger for its spicy zest, you can also substitute with 1.5 teaspoons of ground ginger.

Note on molasses - Make sure to use dark, unsulphured molasses and *not* blackstrap molasses. Blackstrap molasses is bitter and will not give the flavor you're looking for.

Note on grater - I grated my ginger using a fine zesting grater so it would incorporate better throughout the dough.

Note on parchment: I like using nonstick parchment on my pans to ensure no sticking and for easier cleanup.

Note on cookie scoop: I used a medium cookie scoop to portion out the cookie dough. This helps me to keep them more uniform in size and to keep my hands clean. If you're using a spoon, you'll want about 1.5 tablespoons of dough for each cookie.

For smaller cookies, use a small cookie scoop (about 1 Tablespoon in volume) and bake 11-13 minutes. You will get about 70 cookies using a small scoop.

Nutrition