Chewy Gingerbread Cookies
Published Dec. 8, 2021
- Total Time
- 35 minutes, plus 2½ hours’ chilling
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 14tablespoons/200 grams unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 3tablespoons/50 grams finely grated fresh ginger
- 1tablespoon ground ginger
- 2teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 2cups/240 grams confectioners’ sugar
- 3tablespoons/60 grams unsulphured molasses
- 1tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1¼teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
- 1teaspoon baking soda
- 1large egg, room temperature
- 2cups/250 grams all-purpose flour
- ¼cup/50 grams granulated sugar
- 2teaspoons ground ginger
For the Cookies
For the Coating
Nutritional analysis per serving (24 servings)
160 calories; 7 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 23 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 14 grams sugars; 1 gram protein; 91 milligrams sodium
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.
simply the best (ginger, and possibly any) cookies around. Followed exactly as the recipe stated. Instead of using a scoop, I rolled my dough into a log, chilled, then cut into even slices before rolling into by hand which yielded PERFECTLY round cookies all the same size. Also, second the comment about freezing ginger before grating on the microplane - easy peasy. Can't wait to make these again!
incredible cookies. this recipe is a keeper. i chilled my dough overnight. i also used sorghum syrup in place of molasses because it is what i had in my pantry. other than that i followed the recipe ingredients and process. the blend of spices is delicious. looking forward to trying these with hot chocolate or with atol based on other reviews, i used a stock pot to brown the butter. that was big enough to accommodate for the foaming that happens when the spices are added.
Don't make the balls too small. The cookies will be too thin, too crisp, and possibly burned.