Ginger Molasses Cookies

In Desserts, Recipes by Frances Largeman Roth

makes 3 dozen cookies

Happy Holidays! I have been making a version of this recipe for years. I first found it in the Washington Post’s food section in 1999. Since then I’ve been making the cookies annually for the holidays, with little tweaks here and there. This year I decided to give it a full revamp with whole wheat flour and grass-fed ghee. The cookies are as delicious as ever, but they don’t get the cracks on the top like they do with butter. If you want the crackled appearance you’ll need to use butter. If not, try the ghee, which has a great healthy fat boost.

However you make them, they are absolutely amazing and bring a wonderful, spicy scent to your kitchen. Those chunks of crystallized ginger are just divine! And little hands can help roll the dough in sugar. They are a great addition to any cookie swap or bake sale.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoons ground allspice
  • 3/4 cup grass-fed ghee or unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/3 cup unsulphured molasses
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2/3 cup packed chopped crystallized ginger

For rolling:

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoons ground allspice

Preparation:

  1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Set aside.
  2. In another large bowl, cream the ghee or butter with an electric mixer on medium speed. Add the sugar in 2 additions, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the egg. Blend in the molasses and vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in 2-3 additions, beating just until the flour is incorporated after each addition. Stir in the crystallized ginger. The dough will be very soft. Cover tightly and refrigerate until firm enough to handle, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
  3. Preheat oven to 375° F. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper.
  4. Form the dough into balls of about 1 tablespoon. Roll each ball in the ginger-sugar mixture and then place them 3-inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
  5. Bake the cookies for 12 to 13 minutes or until set. Cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.