‘Tis the season to get sweet! One of our favorite things to do during the holiday season is bake Christmas cookies. Whether you enjoy participating in cookie exchanges or laying out fresh baked treats for Santa on Christmas eve, the holiday cookie is truly a gift in itself. With so many different cookie recipes to make this month, it only seems natural that we get baking with a classic favorite–Gingersnap Cookies! Soft and buttery, these delectable morsels start off sweet and finish off with that distinct “snap” of ginger and the usual holiday spices like cinnamon and cloves. The sweet and robust flavor of the molasses balances well with the earthiness and slight spiciness of the ground ginger, giving way to some pretty amazing-tasting cookies. And although some may enjoy the crunch of crispy, crumbly gingersnaps, we can’t get enough of the soft and chewy variety with its classic crinkly cracks on top.
Besides gingersnaps and gingerbread, the flavor of ginger is optimal to many fall and winter recipes. It’s potent fragrance and spiciness gives warmth to breads, desserts and pastries, something that the holidays are always in need of. Melissa’s Ground Ginger is ginger root in powder form and makes it easy to flavor beverages, cakes and cookies. While fresh ginger root has a fiery, pungent taste, the ground-up form is a lot more mellow and wonderful for baking. Besides ginger snaps, you can also use ground ginger for other fabulous desserts like Ginger Donut Holes and Ginger Spice Bars. We also sell the fresh version of ginger root, which can be used in a scrumptious Meyer Lemon and Ginger Pound Cake, as well as Ginger Cake with Apricot Sticky Sauce.
Gingersnap Cookies
Yields: Around 3 dozen cookies
Ingredients
- 3 and 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/3 cup of white granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup of light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup of molasses
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
- 2 and 1/4 teaspoons of baking soda
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon of ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves
- Extra white sugar for sprinkling
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, salt, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground ginger and salt.
2. Use an electric mixer on medium speed for about 2-3 minutes to cream the butter and sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
3. Add the molasses to the butter and sugar mixer and continue mixing. Then add the eggs, vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
4. Reduce the mixer speed to low and then add the dry ingredients. Mix for a little bit until combined but not for too long.
5. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. Use your hands to roll the dough into about 1 tablespoon sized balls.
6. In a separate plate, pour some white granulated sugar. Roll the dough balls into the sugar.
7. Place the cookies evenly across the baking sheet.
8. Bake the cookies for around 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for around 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack and continue cooling.
