These big soft ginger cookies are packed with warm spices, baked to puffed perfection, and give the absolute best chew. Perfect for holiday baking or anytime you're craving a classic cookie.
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper
- Mixer
- Spatula
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Wire Rack
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ cup shortening
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup molasses
- 2 tbsp sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper
- In a bowl, combine flour, ginger, soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt
- In a large mixing bowl, beat your shortening for 30 seconds on low speed to soften. Gradually add in 1 cup of sugar and beat until fluffy (1-2 minutes). Add in the egg and molasses and beat together until combined
- Mix in your dry ingredients until just combined. If the dough seems dry, just keep mixing! It'll soften as it comes together
- Shape your dough into 1 ½-inch balls (about 2 tablespoons each), and roll in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Place on your lined cookie sheet about 2 ½-inches apart
- Bake for 10 minutes, until light brown and still puffed. Do not overbake! Let stand on the sheet for 2 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely
- Enjoy!
Notes
*You can use butter instead of shortening, but your cookies will bake much flatter and without the crinkled top. They still taste delicious! For a butter cookie, place your rolled dough balls in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before baking, to allow the butter to re-firm up before it hits the oven
*For the bake, you’ll pull them out at the 10-minute mark and might question the doneness of the center of the cookie. Trust the process! The cookies will cook a little longer during the cooling process on the tray. They will set as they cool. This is where they get their delicious chew (but not if you overbake them)!
*This recipe came from a magazine clipping in my mom’s recipe tin. Sadly, there isn’t a name to give credit, but I thank whoever made this perfect recipe. It’s a seasonal favorite!
