Chewy Gingerbread Cookies
Published December 7, 2021
Anna Williams for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Susan Spungen.
- Total Time
- 35 minutes, plus 2½ hours’ chilling
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
FOR THE COOKIES
14 tablespoons/200 grams unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 tablespoons/50 grams finely grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 cups/240 grams confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons/60 grams unsulphured molasses
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg, room temperature
2 cups/250 grams all-purpose flour
FOR THE COATING
¼ cup/50 grams granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground ginger
Nutritional analysis per serving
23 grams carbs; 26 milligrams cholesterol; 160 calories; 2 grams monosaturated fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 7 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 91 milligrams sodium; 1 gram protein; 14 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
In a medium saucepan over medium, melt butter until foamy, about 3 minutes. Continue cooking butter, stirring and scraping frequently with a stiff silicone spatula, until the sputtering has subsided and the butter solids look deeply browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, then whisk in the fresh ginger and ground spices. Scrape the butter and any brown bits at the bottom into the bowl of a stand mixer (or into a large bowl if using a hand mixer). Set aside until cool, slightly solid, but still creamy, about 20 minutes in the refrigerator or 2 hours at room temperature.
- Step 2
Add confectioners’ sugar, molasses, vanilla, salt and baking soda to the cooled butter. Mix on low with the paddle attachment, stopping once to scrape the bowl and paddle, until creamy and combined, about 1 minute.
- Step 3
Add the egg and mix on medium until pale and fluffy, stopping once to scrape the bowl and paddle, about 2 minutes. Add flour and mix until evenly combined, about 30 seconds. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days before baking.
- Step 4
Prepare the sugar coating: In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and ground ginger. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper, arrange the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven, and heat oven to 375 degrees.
- Step 5
Using a #40 cookie scoop or two spoons, scoop the cookie dough into 2-tablespoon portions (30 grams). Roll the portioned cookie dough into balls and coat in the ginger sugar. Arrange on the sheet tray at least 1 inch apart and bake until set and lightly browned around the edges, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Cookies are best eaten the day they are baked. Cookie dough portions can be frozen, then coated in sugar and baked from frozen as needed. No need to thaw; bake frozen portions for 11 to 13 minutes.
Private Notes
Comments
Freeze the fresh ginger root and keep in freezer then microplane it when ready for use. Keeps the ginger juices intact; keeps longer than fresh ginger in the fridge. Microplane is easier and quicker than grater although your fingers can get pretty cold in the grating process.
In the end, these came out great, and I will absolutely make them many more times. Crispy outside, chewy center, sweet and spicy. 10/10. However, like others have already said, be careful when adding the fresh ginger to the browned butter -- it will foam a ton (like, way more than when making caramel). Either brown the butter in a larger-than-you-think-you-need sauce pot or move the butter to the bowl of the stand mixer first and then add the spices. It'll save you a mess.
Diamond Crystal salt and Morton’s weigh differently even if you use the same volume. That’s why it’s helpful for recipes to identify what it was made with. One teaspoon of Morton kosher salt weighs 4.8 grams; one teaspoon of Diamond Crystal kosher weighs 2.8 grams. There’s a good Cooks a illustrated article on the difference.
Really good recipe. I’ll make again. Tastes exactly like the ginger snaps I remember as a kid. Love the chewiness. I needed to bake about 11 min w my oven. Next time I’ll only put in one tray at a time.
50 grams of ginger is more than 3 tbs. I went with the weight, and the cookies were too gingery. Otherwise, the cookies were delicious. I will make them again, but go down to 40 grams of ginger.
Oh My these were over the top fantastic. So much flavor - between the browned butter, the spices and rolling the dough in sugar and ginger… mmmm, mmmm good. I did add candied ginger that I chopped super fine in a coffee grinder because I had some and figured, Why not? Will make again and again.