Spicy Cardamom and Molasses Ginger Cookies

Tis’ the holly jolly
cookie baking season again!

It’s the molasses here that keeps these cookies fresh and chewy for days, with the generous amount of peppery ginger giving them their tang, and the nice compliment of cardamom adding its zesty, spicy herbal flavor to the cookies.

'Tis Cookie Season ~~~ Spicy Crinkle Cookies

’Tis the season, bags of flour, sticks of butter and jars of spices on the counters, with cookie tins ready to be packed. 

 
Every year at this time, I make a plethora of Christmas cookies ~ last year the tally was 51 dozen.  Cookies for my family, and cookies to share with neighbors, friends, and more.

Sprakling Chewy Ginger Cookies with a Twist

Don’t say I didn’t warn you❣

 

These cookies are chewy and delicious ~ bursting with a warm, surprisingly fiery and pungent flavor!

The taste is almost peppery and that’s why I love these cookies, because the surprise ingredient is just that, pepper!

I always bake some sort of ginger cookie during the Christmas season, and this recipe from Better Homes and Gardens surpasses them all.

For additional spicy flavor, the recipe includes  molasses, dark brown sugar, fresh ginger and pumpkin pie spice.  

Gold sanding sugar sprinkled on top of each cookie gives them a festive look when baked and adds another touch of sweetness.

I think they’re divine ~ they’re addictive ~ and if you like ginger cookies,  I bet you will agree!   


Sparkling Chewy Ginger Cookies
Printable recipe

Ingredients:

1⅓ cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup shortening
2 large eggs
½ cup molasses
4 teaspoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger
3½ cups flour
3 teaspoons baking soda
3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1⅓ cups gold sanding sugar, or granulated sugar*

Method:

Preheat oven to 350°.
Beat dark brown sugar and shortening in a medium bowl at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
Add egg, molasses and finer, beat 30 seconds.
Sift flour with next 4 ingredients in a small bowl.
Add flour mixture to butter mixture, beat at low speed until combined.
Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Place sanding sugar in a small bowl.
Drop dough by level spoonfuls into sanding sugar, using a 1½” cookie scoop; roll to coat.
Place coated cookies 3” apart on 2 parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are fragrant and browned around the edges.
Cool on pans for 5 minutes, transfer to wire racks to cool completely.  
Makes 3 dozen

*Gold sanding sugar can be purchased online or purchased wherever specialty cake supplies are sold.


Enjoy!

Chewy Ginger Cookies

My Christmas cookie baking is done for the year!  These ginger cookies have an old-fashioned allure ~ cookies like Grandma used to bake.

 

Fresh ginger takes baking to a whole new level.  It’s sweet, yet pungent.  And for full-out ginger flavor, these cookies not only have fresh ginger, but also ground ginger and chopped crystallized ginger also. 

Crystallized ginger

Grated ginger root

Adding crystallized ginger, gives them a stronger ginger flavor, along with a more chewy texture. The sweet and rich, amber-colored light molasses imparts a buttery flavor, with a smack of bitterness. Then they’re finished with a little crunch from the coarse sugar they were rolled in.

  

Chewy Ginger Cookies have a warm, spicy flavor, while being soft and chewy.  They are delicious and the aroma as they bake is a bonus!  These flavorful cookies will be gone in a flash when you make them!

Chewy Ginger Cookies

Ingredients:

1 stick butter, at room temperature, plus more for baking sheets

2½ cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup light molasses

1 large egg

1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger

¼ cup finely chopped crystallized ginger

½ cup coarse sugar

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly butter 2 baking sheets.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, ground ginger and salt in a medium bowl.

Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.

Beat in the molasses, egg and fresh ginger.  (The mixture may look curdled.)

Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the flour mixture and beat until combined.

Stir in the crystallized ginger with a rubber spatula.

The dough should be soft but not sticky; if it’s sticky, refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Form tablespoons of dough into balls and roll in the coarse sugar.

Place on baking sheets 2” apart.

Bake until the edges are set but the centers are still soft, 12-14 minutes.

Let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheets.

Transfer to racks to cool completely.

Makes 30 cookies.

Ummmmm, mmm!

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog, @My Kind of Cooking for great tips and delicious easy recipes!