#BakeADifference for @Cookies4kids with @OXO
Like its cousin the gingerbread man, ginger cookies have all the flavors and scents of the holidays without the added work of rolling and cutting out cookies. In fact, the original recipe doesn’t require refrigeration prior to baking – the cookie goes straight from the mixer, into the oven. The result, for the most part (see notes on baking in the tropics), is a lovely thin, crispy cookie full of holiday ginger goodness.
And read below on how social posts of your holiday cookies can benefit Cookies for Kids’ Cancer.
A classic recipe steeped in history
I found this recipe over 25 years ago on a USENET bulletin board (anyone old enough to remember those?). Up until then I never heard of The Settlement Cookbook. Originally published in 1901 with a tagline of The Way to a Man’s Heart, this cookbook has a fascinating history and is beloved by many. I didn’t know this when I downloaded the recipe, I was drawn to its simplicity.
After years of making this cookie, it is a part of my holiday tradition and goes to show there’s a reason this cookie is a classic.
Humidity strikes again
The name of this recipe is Ginger Cookies – not Ginger Snaps or Ginger Chews. Perhaps it’s the brilliance of the original recipe author, knowing that the results may differ depending on the climate. Since returning to Hawaii I’ve found that this is one of the recipes that is greatly affected by the humidity. Whenever I made these cookies in Boston, they were crisp. In Hawaii, the cookies are chewy with a bit of crispness. In the recipe I share some tips for counteracting the humidity of the tropics to achieve crispness.
Crispy or chewy, this recipe remains a part of my holiday repertoire and the results are well-loved by friends and family.
Bake A Difference
During this holiday season, share the cookie love. Post your cookie pictures on social media and tag @OXO and @Cookies4kids and use #OXOGoodCookies. For every cookie post, the good folks at OXO will donate $1 – up to $100,000 – to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer.
Ginger Cookies
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 36 1x
Description
These easy cookies fill the house with the scents of the holidays. The recipe is modified slightly from the original recipe in The Settlement Cook Book.
Ingredients
3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks or 6 ounces)
1/4 teaspoon salt (omit if using salted butter)
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup dark molasses
1 egg, beaten
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
Granulated sugar for rolling
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cream the butter, salt, and sugar together. Add the egg and the molasses.
Sift the remaining ingredients together (except for the sugar for rolling) and add to the wet mixture.
Form dough into 1-inch balls and roll in granulated sugar. Place 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.
Options to accommodate for tropical heat and humidity:
Increase the amount of flour to 2¼ cups.
Refrigerate the dough for at least an hour before baking.
Increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees F and bake for 10 minutes.
Notes
Unbaked dough may be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer (stored properly) for up to three months.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 90.27
- Sugar: 7.40 g.
- Sodium: 88.34 mg.
- Fat: 4.05 g.
- Saturated Fat: 2.45 g.
- Carbohydrates: 12.83 g.
- Fiber: 0.25 g.
- Protein: 0.94 g.
- Cholesterol: 15.33 g.
Keywords: ginger, molasses, cinnamon, cloves
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