Super-Sized Ginger Chewies Recipe
From:
Big Fat Cookies
, by
Elinor Klivans
Email
Total Time:
45 mins
|
Active Time:
|
Makes:
14 cookies
The perfect example of a thick, chewy spice cookie. Rolling the cookies in sugar before they are baked makes the outside especially crisp and a good contrast to the soft interior.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), at room temperature
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup molasses
- About 1/4 cup granulated sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
- Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Heat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves into a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and brown sugar until smoothly blended, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing. Add the egg and molasses, and mix until blended and an even light brown color, about 1 minute. On low speed, add the flour mixture, mixing just to incorporate it.
- Spread the granulated sugar on a large piece of wax or parchment paper. Roll 1/4 cup of dough between the palms of your hands into a 2-inch ball, roll the ball in the sugar, and place on one of the prepared baking sheets. Continue making cookies, spacing them 2 inches apart.
- Bake the cookies one sheet at a time until the tops feel firm but they are still soft in the center and there are several large cracks on top, about 14 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then use a wide metal spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- The cookies can be stored in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
This recipe, while from a trusted source, may not have been tested by the CHOW food
team.
THESE COOKIES WERE SOOO GOOOD! chewy ginger cookies are my FAVORITE and this was a great recipe! Also I cannot eat wheat and I was able to modify this recipe accordingly and it still came out great. I used white rice flour and added the corresponding amount of guar gum, and the cookies were perfect.
SALT... I guess that it calls for l/4 teaspoon table salt .. since I never buy it, can I exchange kosher salt and how much?
I'm FLABBERGASTED at how good these are. I've made them three times now. I am very difficult to please with respect to ginger cookies (I have a file of recipes) but these cookies rock. I make them exactly as written, 2" balls of dough rolled in sugar, and after baking they look like they're out of a bakery shop window. Flavor is phenomenal...but even better if you (get ready) quadruple the ginger, double the cinnamon and cloves, and add -- in addition -- 1 teaspoon ground allspice. Now THAT'S a cookie. This is my favorite Chowhound recipe of all.
I make only a few changes. The ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and molasses are heaping measurements. Before baking I roll them out like you would a sugar cookie, in one inch balls and roll each one in sugar. The recipe yields 27 cookies. The cookie is perfect after baking for 14 minutes. They are a little crispy on the outside and soft on the inside!
I make these with half again as much ginger and cinnamon, and then roll into 1" balls to make about 2" cookies. Then I glue pairs of cookies together with:
3 Tbsp room-temp butter
1 - 1 1/2 c powdered sugar
juice and grated rind of one lemon
They're known among family and friends as bendy ginger cookies.
Make them with 6 tsp powdered ginger, and add 2 tsp grated fresh ginger along with 1/3 c finely chopped crystallized ginger and you've got TJ's Triple Ginger Cookies. Be sure to use all butter--no shortening! Roll the balls about 3/4 ", bake at 350 about 12-15 minutes, and they come out like snaps--nice and crispy.
Not bad. I add dark rum, crystallized ginger and dates to mine for extra flavor and chewiness. I like the idea of rolling them in sugar, I'll try that next time.
These are quite good - just made them - though I would like a little more spiciness/ginger flavor. I might take your advice, seeldee, and add some candied ginger next time - that sounds perfect. My recipe made exactly 14 cookies, but we inhaled three of them immediately, so we only netted 11....
I just made these cookies and man, are they perfect! If you've got candied ginger in the house, consider dicing about a 1/4 cup of the stuff and adding it to the batter right after the eggs and molasses but before the dry ingredients.
Also, following the recipe's instructions of rolling 2" balls of dough gave me only 11 cookies. I'm not complaining, just pointing it out in case other bakers require a specific number of cookies.
I will be making these cookies again and again!
I made these last year as part of my gift basket and everyone loved them! I got so many requests for the recipe and already ppl. want to know when they will be made this year! :)
I love Ginger Cookies. I may have to make these this weekend!
Mmm, I love Ginger cookies! This looks sooo good that I'll just have to try it :) I like 'em chewy
I will have to try this recipe out. I used to make a similar cookie but I put in cut up pieces of dark chocolate covered candied ginger... gave it extra bite and the chocolate added a full dark richness.
A stick and a half of butter is 12 tablespoons, or 3/4 cup, which is the correct amount. We've fixed the error. Thanks for pointing it out.
They are really good, even with fresh ginger.
But.....10 Tblsp doesn't equal a stick and a half of butter, a stick and a half are 14 T.
I went with less fat...which is the 'right' measure?
I made these last night and they are SPECTACular.
And how much freshly grated ginger would substitute for the powdered ginger?
You really want to make these special? Instead of ground cloves, take 6-8 whole cloves, grind them up in a spice mill or pulverize with mortar and pestle and add the results.