As the weather cools and the months advance to November, I enjoy baking cookies much more than in the summer months when the temperature and humidity is too high to run my oven. Last year at this time, in November 2014, I was working 10 to 12 hour days at the online cookie bakery of Country Cupboard Cookies. Since I’ve retired from the business in May of this year, I have been relaxing, traveling some, and enjoying our new granddaughter, born in June. Everything I’ve heard of the joys of being a grandparent is true! She makes my day just by showing up at our house. Her smile, her beautiful blue eyes, her adorable fingers and toes all seem so miraculous and perfect. I can’t wait to bake cookies with her when she grows a bit!
Though it was time for me to move on from the long hours and stress of owning a cookie business, for the first time since we closed, I starting missing the bakery life this month. November was the month for prepping everything for the annual holiday rush that would hit in December when thousands of cookies were shipped nationwide as Holiday gifts. We planned our cookie list and started baking a seemingly endless supply of gingerbread cookies to later decorate and package. One of the flavors we baked each year was our old-fashioned gingerspice cookies, a soft molasses based cookie rolled in sugar that was a favorite among many.
This Molasses Ginger Chocolate Cookie was another ginger based cookie that we sold and a version of the recipe that we used in the bakery.
When baking this spicy ginger cookie, your kitchen will be filled with the wonderful scents of Christmas. Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and of course just the aroma of baking cookies will get you in the mood for the holidays. Although it’s still early November and maybe a bit early for Christmas Cookie baking, it’s not too early to start a cookie list. Sitting down with a cup of hot tea and one of these soft ginger molasses cookies studded with pockets of melting chocolate will have you dreaming of the possibilities.
I will be posting lots of holiday cookie recipes in the next few weeks. I’m still working on my list, but the collection so far includes: Decorated gingerbread boys, chocolate cut-out sugar cookies, cranberry white chocolate cookies, chocolate cherry cookies & oatmeal orange pecan cookies.
I’m sure I’ll come up with many more family favorites and add some new recipes that I’ve been thinking about. You can easily compile your own list for holiday baking. Start with a few classic cookie recipes then get creative and start adding dried fruits, nuts, and chocolates for some special cookies of your own.
QUICK TIP: If you are looking for a chewy and soft molasses cookie that’s more traditional, just eliminate the added chocolate from this recipe. You’ll get a few less cookies from your batch but the cookies will still be delicious! Here’s a photo of my “plain ginger molasses” cookies. These improve in flavor the second day and the molasses will help maintain the softness of the cookie, so don’t be afraid of leftovers!
Enjoy the beginning of the cookie baking season with these delicious ginger spice cookies. Be sure to chill the dough prior to baking to avoid the cookies flattening out too much. Also, when dropping the cookie dough balls in the bowl of sugar, be very generous with the sugar. This will give you the wonderful crackly top to your molasses ginger cookies.
I hope you enjoy this classic ginger molasses cookie whether plain or studded with chocolate chunks. They are great cookie jar cookies, not too sweet, but filled with flavors of the holidays! Try following us on Instagram @countrycupboardcookies for more cookie photos and cookie ideas for the holidays!
- 6 ounces butter, softened (3/4 cup)
- 7½ ounces brown sugar (1 cup)
- 2 whole large eggs
- 2 tsp pure vanilla
- ⅓ cup unsulphured molasses ( I use Grandmas molasses)
- 12 ounces unbleached flour (2½ cups)
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 1½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 6 ounces chocolate chunks ( use either semi-sweet or dark chocolate, NOT unsweetened)
- Approximately ½ cup white granulated sugar to roll cookies in prior to baking
- Cream softened butter with brown sugar.
- Add molasses and beat until incorporated. Scrape bowl a few times to mix the molasses in well.
- Add 2 eggs and vanilla and beat until creamy.
- Mix dry ingredients together including the flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix until combined.
- Stir in the chocolate chunks.
- Chill dough for 30 minutes.
- Scoop dough using a #20 ice cream scoop or about ¼ cup per cookie. Roll in granulated sugar. Place on cookie sheet using parchment paper or silpat lined.
- Bake cookies at 375 degrees for 12-14 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on cookie sheet.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe it’s one of my favorites, our favorites here, l can’t wait to bake them I am going to share this recipe as well merry Christmas thank you!! 🎄🎄
Happy Baking Tammy!