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–+ servings
Square image of stacked ginger spice cookies on a white plate ready for serving.
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Giant and Soft Spiced Ginger Cookies

Soft and spicy ginger cookies made with warm holiday spices, molasses, and a touch of cracked pepper. These classic Christmas cookies bake up soft, chewy, and wonderfully aromatic—perfect for gifting and holiday baking.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Chilling Time15 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories: 141kcal
Author: Stephanie Wilson

Ingredients

  • 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3/4 cup butter softened (12 tablespoons)
  • 1/2 cup white sugar plus 3 tablespoons (divided)
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1 tablespoon water
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch, ground ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, cream together the butter, 1/2 cup white granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy; about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg, vanilla, water, and molasses. Then gradually stir in the sifted dry ingredients into the butter, molasses mixture until a smooth dough forms. Chill the dough while you preheat the oven.
  • Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
  • Scoop dough with a cookie scoop, then roll into balls; dredge in the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Refrigerate the cookies until cold, about 15-30 minutes.
  • Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 4 to 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Notes

  1. Make Ahead: Dough can be chilled up to 48 hours or frozen up to 3 months.
  2. Spice Level: For more heat, add ½ teaspoon additional ground ginger or a pinch of cayenne.
  3. Rolling Sugar: Coarse sugar adds sparkle and crunch for holiday gifting.
  4. Storage: Store in an airtight container up to 5 days; they stay soft beautifully.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 141kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 133mg | Sugar: 11g