Baking with spices can create mouthwatering flavor combinations that are good any time of the year. Spice cakes and cookies are particularly popular during the holidays, because of the warm flavor they impart.
Crystallized ginger gives these cookies a spicy flavor and a slightly chewy texture. Adding this recipe into the holiday cookie rotation will provide a refreshing alternative to plain cinnamon cookies, sugar cookies, or even pumpkin cookies. Add or remove spices to tailor the flavor to your palate.
Modifications that Add Flavor
Try pressing some mini chocolate chips into each ball of dough as you form the cookies, or press a chocolate candy, such as a Hershey kiss into it right as it comes out of the oven. Additionally, these cookies can be iced with a drizzle of cinnamon icing to give them extra flair. They would also be terrific wrapped around creamy ginger, pumpkin, or even vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients for Ginger Spice Cookies
- 1 cup granulated sugar, divided in half
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 egg white, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
- 3 tablespoons crystallized ginger, chopped into small bits
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- confectioner’s sugar or icing for garnish, optional
Directions to Make Ginger Spice Cookies
Preheat an oven to 350ºF.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, cloves and nutmeg and set aside.
In a stand mixer or large bowl, cream the room temperature butter and half the sugar until fluffy.
Add the egg white and corn syrup and continue mixing until well combined.
Add the dry ingredients slowly to the wet ingredients. The dough should come together.
Using your hands, form the cookie dough into 1 inch balls and roll in the reserved white sugar.
Place cookies roughly 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet and flatten with a glass or fingers dipped in sugar.
Bake in the oven 12 to 15 minutes until the cookies are a golden brown.
Remove to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before garnishing with a sprinkle of confectioner’s sugar or glazed icing (recipe below).
Icing Glaze Ingredients and Directions
- 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or use cinnamon for something new)
- 3 tablespoons of milk or water
Combine confectioner’s sugar, melted butter, and vanilla extract (or cinnamon extract for extra kick). Add milk or water to reach drizzling consistency. Drizzle over cookies completely or in patterns.
Recipe makes at least 24 cookies. Enjoy these sweet and crunchy cookies with a kick!
