Big, Soft Ginger Cookies (That Stay Soft!)
These Big, Soft Ginger Cookies are the best of both worlds. They have all the flavour of a gingerbread cookie, but unlike traditional gingerbreads, these cookies are round and soft and chewy. This recipe can be modified for gluten-free, dairy-free diets as well.
Soft Gingerbread Cookie Recipe
One of the best cookie recipes I have in my collection of favourites is this recipe for soft ginger cookies.
These cookies are the perfect combination between a soft and chewy homemade cookie and a classic gingerbread cookie. They’re easy to make, and everyone always loves them.
I love the flavour of gingerbread – the warm spicy flavours of ginger, cinnamon and cloves always reminds me of the holidays.
What I don’t love about the classic style of gingerbread cookies is how hard and crunchy they are. And of course, the fact that people only ever make them at Christmas time.
Good news: this ginger cookie recipe makes a cookie that tastes like a soft and chewy gingerbread cookie, and because it’s not shaped like a traditional gingerbread cookie, you can make these ginger cookies all year round.
Great recipe for a cookie exchange!
Be sure to make some for your Christmas cookie exchange. Your friends will love you for it.
Give these ginger cookies as gifts for teachers and neighbours!
I make these cookies all year round because my family and my daycare hooligans love them.
We often package them up in cellophane bags, and give these cookies at Christmas to teachers, neighbours, the school bus driver, and they’re always a huge hit.
One of the things the kids love about making them is that they get to press a design into each cookie before we bake them. We use a heavy glass with a pattern cut into the bottom of it.
You can usually find glasses like this at the thrift shop, so look there before going out and buying new.
These cookies stay soft!
What I love best about this recipe, aside from the amazing flavour of course, is that these cookies stay soft for as long as you store them. Not that you’ll have to store them for long. If they’re as popular at your house as they are at mine, they’lll be gone in a flash.
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Options
Edited to Add: My son recently developed an intolerance for gluten and lactose, so I’ve been experimenting with some of my favourite recipes to see if I can modify them for him. I’m happy to say, these soft ginger cookies turned out beautifully when I replaced the All-Purpose flour with gluten-free 1-for-1 flour and the margarine with vegan margarine.
Big Soft Ginger Cookie Recipe
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Ingredients:
- 2 & 1/4 c. all-purpose flour (if making gluten-free, I use Bob’s Red Mill 1-for-1 Flour)
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 c margarine (if making lactose-free, I use Becel Vegan Margarine)
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp water
- 1/4 c molasses
- 1/4 cup white sugar (or more) for tossing dough balls in.
How to Make Soft Ginger Cookies
Preheat oven to 350º F.
STEP 1: In a medium bowl, sift together your flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt, and set aside.
STEP 2: In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and one cup of sugar.
STEP 3: Next, beat in your egg and then stir in your water and molasses.
STEP 4: Stir your dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
NOTE: Once they’re blended together, cover and refrigerate the bowl for at least 20 minutes. This will firm up the dough so it’s not too sticky to roll into balls.
STEP 5: Once your dough has firmed up, roll it into walnut-sized balls.
STEP 6: Now, this is where the extra 1/4 cup of sugar comes in. Toss the balls of cookie dough in a bowl of white sugar until they’re lightly coated. I usually put 3 balls in a bowl at the same time, and shake them around until they’re nicely coated.
STEP 7: Place the balls of dough on a baking sheet and press them with the bottom of a patterned glass until they’re about 1/4 inch thick. If your dough sticks to the glass, press the glass into a bit of white sugar first.
Now, pop your cookies in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes.
Note: I bake my cookies on a baking stone, and I leave them in for the full 10 minutes.
Store your big, soft ginger cookies in an air tight container.
Enjoy!
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Big Soft Ginger Cookies
These soft and chewy ginger cookies are guaranteed to be a hit. Fragrant with cinnamon and cloves, they’re perfect for the holidays (but we love them any time of year).
Servings: 36 cookies
Calories: 98kcal
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups flour
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ cups margarine
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp water
- ¼ c molasses
- ¼ cup white sugar to toss dough balls in
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350º F.
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Sift together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, salt and set aside.
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In a large bowl, cream together margarine and the 1 cup of sugar.
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Beat in egg.
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Stir in water and molasses.
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Gradually stir in dry ingredients.
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Set dough covered in fridge for 20 mins to an hour until no longer sticky.
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Shape walnut-sized balls.
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Roll in Sugar and with the bottom of a pattterned glass, flatten each ball to ¼ inch.
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If dough sticks to bottom of glass, press glass into bowl of sugar first.
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Bake 8-10 minutes.
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Store in an air-tight container.
Nutrition
Calories: 98kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 98mg | Potassium: 47mg | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 175IU | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.5mg
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Jackie is a mom, wife, home daycare provider, and the creative spirit behind Happy Hooligans. She specializes in kids’ crafts and activities, easy recipes, and parenting. She began blogging in 2011, and today, Happy Hooligans inspires more than 2 million parents, caregivers and Early Years Professionals all over the globe.
