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Dec 7, 2015

Molasses Ginger Cookies with Fresh Ginger

These molasses and ginger cookies are so perfect for the holidays. The cookies are soft and chewy, and the fresh ginger adds a lovely warmth... perfect for Christmas giving.


Molasses Ginger Cookies with Fresh Ginger, Vietnamese Cinnamon, and Sparkling Sugar


I took about three dozen of these to the office, and they quickly disappeared, pretty much faster than anything else I've ever taken to work before.



Molasses Ginger Cookies with Fresh Ginger, Vietnamese Cinnamon, and Sparkling Sugar



I also used Vietnamese cinnamon in these cookies. I think the intensity and sweetness of the cinnamon combined with the fresh ginger gives these cookies such a rich and compelling flavor.


Molasses Ginger Cookies with Fresh Ginger, Vietnamese Cinnamon, and Sparkling Sugar


They are super buttery, so they spread... a lot. I even froze the shaped cookies before baking them the second time to see if I might get a thicker cookie. I even considered not posting them because of this.

However, the overwhelming reaction to these cookies from my friends, grandkids, and colleagues (and me) convinced me to share this amazing cookie for #ChristmasWeek. To quote a colleague, "These are the best ginger cookies I've ever had!"


Molasses Ginger Cookies with Fresh Ginger, Vietnamese Cinnamon, and Sparkling Sugar

Molasses Ginger Cookies with Fresh Ginger, Vietnamese Cinnamon, and Sparkling Sugar

Yield: 48 cookies, adapted from The Dahlia Bakery Cookbook

Ingredients

3/4 cups unsalted butter, slightly softened (if you want thicker cookies, substitute some butter flavored shortening)
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses
3 tsp freshly grated ginger
2 cups (9 ounces) unbleached all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp Vietnamese cinnamon (if you can't find Vietnamese cinnamon, use any cinnamon, but increase the amount by 50 per cent)
1/4 to 1/2 cup sanding or sparkling sugar

Instructions

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the paddle attachment, mix the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg, molasses, and ginger, and mix until combined. 
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In two batches, mix the flour mixture into the butter and sugar mixture until just combined. 
  3. Refrigerate the dough for about 2 hours. 
  4. Line half sheet baking pans with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
  5. Place the sparkling sugar into a shallow bowl. 
  6. Scoop the dough by teaspoon into one inch balls, and press them into the sparking sugar to flatten them. Press the other side of the dough into the sugar. 
  7. Place the dough about 2 to 3 inches apart on the baking sheets. There should be about 12 cookies per pan. 
  8. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, for about 8 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet. Store in an airtight container. 

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Would you like to comment?

  1. and here I am, five milliseconds after seeing your post on FB. Oh, my oh my oh my, I want to bake these RIGHT NOW.

    you know that molasses and ginger are music to my ears....

    I have Vietnamese cinnamon in my pantry, I think I only need fresh ginger and probably sparkling sugar (who knows, I've got stuff hiding gotta double check)

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    1. You could just use granulated sugar. Just saying. =)

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  2. These cookies look so crunchy and delicious!

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  3. These look soooo good! I am going to have to drop everything and make these!

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    1. Thanks Stephanie. I feel the same way about your shortbread!

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  4. Your cookies look sooooo good. I am so ready for Christmas cookies!! I love to make festive caramel and barks

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  5. I adore ginger cookies---and fresh ginger and molasses make your recipe a winner!!

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  6. Speculoos cookies for neighbors and friends

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  7. These do look lovely - and you know I don't think it matters if they spread to thin as long as the recipe says and they're not all running together - I just made almond pennies I think on sunday - a KA recipe - thin as could be but they came out great! [not enough almond - but I'll fix that next time LOL]
    And they're a nice balance on a cookie plate from puffy cookies anyway - definitely going to try them!
    Thanks for the giveaway too!

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    1. and by the way the most fun thus far has been the rugelach I tried - new to me - and so fun!

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  8. Hi Karen, my favorite treat would be peanut butter cookies or rugalach. Love, love this ginger cookies too!

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  9. Snowballs (aka Mexican Wedding Cookies) are a real weakness of mine so I only make them during the holidays :-) I also like to make the old fashioned candy called Martha Washington's, which everyone asks for each year.

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    1. I just Googled Martha Washingtons. Yum! Thanks for stopping by!

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  10. First off, these pictures are making me drool! Your cookies look PERFECT!

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  11. I always make the pecan pies for family holidays and cream puff and homemade custard for Christmas eve.

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  12. Karen,
    I like molasses cookies but have only had the soft kind. Yours look so very nice I'm interested to try them. Which brings up a question about grating ginger.

    I have only used ginger paste before in cooking, but my sister in law got me into warm lemon water with fresh ginger last Christmas. It's a nice late evening or early morning drink.

    So now I have fresh ginger in the house.

    I also have the microplane I use for my nutmeg.

    Is that the sort of thing I'd grate ginger with?

    I'm sorry if this is a dumb question--I've just never grated my own ginger before so I'm curious.

    Thanks!

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    1. Great question Kirsten! I have a Chinese grater which frustrated me to no end. I now use a Microplane extra coarse and it works perfectly for me. It's the one you might use to grate Parmesan.

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  13. Dear Karen I love your recipes and this one looks fantastic. But then I had to google how much a cup of butter weighs. Would you consider putting in metric weights as well for us non-Americans (Australians)? Best regards.

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    1. Thanks Melissa. I will definitely do my best but sometimes I'm in a hurry (like for this one where I had a deadline). Maybe I'll put together a conversion chart. I definitely do it for most of my breads.

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  14. I love that you used fresh ginger in these cookies! It is my favorite (and very European of you, by the way). They look like the kind of cookie that could be very dangerous at my house, I could probably eat them all day but nothing else!

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  15. I love ginger so much. Not only the spice but my horse's name is Ginger too. Ha.

    We love ginger cookies in our house, and baking with molasses is right up my alley. I love this recipe so much, and can't wait to try it.

    Thank you for joining us for Christmas Week, hope you an amazing holiday season!! xx

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  16. You know that I'm obsessed by ginger, right? And that I've taken it on as part of my life's work to try every variation on delicious ginger sweets? I believe that gives me the authority to say that these are among the most beautiful ginger cookies I've ever seen! As soon as I can fit back into my pants after the holidays I have to try them:)

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  17. Have you ever froze the cookies after baking? or do you ever freeze the dough to make later? how do you store it?

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    Replies
    1. You can do both with this recipe. My preference would be to freeze the baked cookies in freezer bags.

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