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These chewy and soft ginger cookies are especially delicious, and one we always make during the holidays!
SOft Version of a Classic
Lo’s ALL-TIME favorite cookies are any that include GINGER (guess it makes sense that the ginger loves ginger 😉 ).
He is perfectly content eating an entire box bought from the store but prefers homemade (who wouldn’t?). When he’s looking for a little more crunch, he loves our classic Ginger Snap recipe, and when he wants a little more soft and chewy, he goes for these Ginger Cookies.
Lo would prefer we make these all year long and sometimes we do, but we especially love to make these for Christmas along with other classics like Frosted Sugar Cookies, Snowball Cookies, and of course – Gingerbread Cookies.
WHY WE LOVE IT:
- Soft. Unlike traditional gingersnaps, these are soft and chewy ginger cookies.
- The flavor. The combination of molasses and warm spices makes these Christmas cookies especially perfect in the fall and winter.
- Make ahead. This easy cookie recipe requires chilling time before baking – perfect for planning ahead.
Ingredients
PREP TIME: 5 minutes
CHILL TIME: 1 hour
BAKE TIME: 10 minutes
- 1 cup sugar plus more for rolling
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened – How to Soften Butter Quickly
- ¼ cup unsulphered molasses – I use Grandma’s Original Molasses Unsulphered. Do not use sulfured or blackstrap molasses.
- 1 egg – Room temperature eggs incorporate best.
- 1 tablespoon applesauce
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour – These cookies puff up in the oven, then flatten. For a thicker cookie, add another ¼-½ cup of flour to the dough
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon – Replace cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg with an equal amount of Pumpkin Pie Spice.
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger – or use 1 teaspoon ginger for a more prevalent flavor
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- optional topping – dip half of each cookie in melted white chocolate, or drizzle it on top
HOW TO MAKE Ginger Cookies
- WET INGREDIENTS. In a large bowl, or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix 1 cup sugar, ¾ cup butter, ¼ cup molasses, 1 egg, and 1 tablespoon applesauce.
- DRY INGREDIENTS. In a medium bowl, mix 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1½ teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground cloves, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Add to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
- CHILL. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- BAKE. Scoop with a cookie scoop then roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in white sugar.
- Place on an un-greased cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes. (While a batch is baking, cover and place the remaining dough in the fridge to chill so it’s easier to scoop and roll.) Cookies will puff and then flatten. Cool on a wire rack.
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Ginger Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar, plus more for rolling
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup molasses
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon applesauce
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix sugar, butter, molasses, egg, and applesauce with a hand mixer.
- In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
- Combine dry ingredients with the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Scoop with a cookie scoop then roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in white sugar.
- Place on an un-greased cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes. (While a batch is baking, cover and place the remaining dough in the fridge to chill so it's easier to scoop and roll.) Cookies will puff and then flatten. Cool on a wire rack.
- Let cookies sit on the cookie sheet for a few minutes, then remove to a rack to cool.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Fridge. Cover and refrigerate the dough for up to 2 days.
Freezer cookie dough balls in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Roll in sugar before baking. See How to Freeze Cookie Dough for tips.
Store cooled ginger cookies in an airtight container on the counter for 7-10 days or in the freezer for 4-6 months.
I tried making and baking two different batches of these cookies today. Both batches have not turned out correctly. They failed to fully bake, and were still doughy below the cookie crust. I followed all instructions up to and baking. Not sure what is wrong, but I’m a little disappointed!