Description

Delight in the rich, spicy warmth of Chocolate Ginger Cookies, featuring a blend of cocoa, warming spices, and a hint of molasses. These chewy cookies are rolled in sugar for a slight crunch and finished with a decadent chocolate dip, and optional crystallized ginger for extra zing.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
1/4 cup (22g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 and 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar (dark recommended)
1/3 cup (80ml) unsulphured or dark molasses (preferably Grandma’s brand)
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For Coating and Topping

1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar, for rolling
4–6 ounces (113–170g) semi-sweet or dark chocolate, finely chopped
Optional: 2 tablespoons (30g) finely chopped crystallized ginger

Instructions

Mix Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl until well combined. Set aside.
Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment to beat the softened butter and brown sugar on high speed for about 3 minutes until creamy and combined.
Add Molasses, Egg, and Vanilla: Incorporate the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract; beat for about 1 minute until combined. Scrape down sides and bottom of the bowl and beat again if needed. The mixture may look slightly curdled, which is normal.
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until the dough is thick, sticky, and fully combined.
Chill the Dough: Cover the dough tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days. Chilling is essential for handling sticky dough and ensuring cookies spread properly when baked.
Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Shape Cookies: Remove the dough from the refrigerator. If chilled more than 2 hours, allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. Roll dough into 1.5 tablespoon (30g) balls using a medium cookie scoop. Roll each ball in granulated sugar and space 3 inches apart on the baking sheets.
Bake Cookies: Bake for 12 minutes or until the edges look set. Be careful not to overbake.
Cool Cookies: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Melt Chocolate: Once the cookies are fully cooled, melt the chopped chocolate using a double boiler or microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring after each until smooth.
Dip and Decorate: Dip half of each cookie into the melted chocolate. Optionally drizzle extra chocolate on top and sprinkle with finely chopped crystallized ginger for an added spicy bite.
Set the Chocolate: Allow chocolate to set completely at room temperature or refrigerate briefly to firm up.
Store Cookies: Store any leftovers tightly covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Notes

Chilling the dough is crucial for the right texture and helps cookies spread evenly during baking.
Use dark molasses for a richer flavor; avoid blackstrap molasses as it is too bitter.
Make sure the egg is at room temperature for better incorporation into the dough.
Rolling the cookies in granulated sugar before baking adds a delightful crunchy texture.
The optional crystallized ginger adds a lovely spicy contrast and complements the chocolate and spices.
If you don’t have a medium cookie scoop, measure dough by tablespoons for uniform cookie size.
The cookies should be soft and chewy rather than crisp; avoid overbaking to preserve this texture.
Ensure the chocolate is well melted and smooth before dipping for a clean finish.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: chocolate ginger cookies, ginger cookies, chocolate dipped cookies, molasses cookies, spiced cookies, holiday cookies