Know what I love? Gingerbread cookies.
Know what I don’t love? Rolling out dough, using cookie cutters, and decorating cookies.
What’s a girl to do? Enter these:
These gingerbread drop cookies are the perfect answer. I have a gingersnap recipe I love, but they aren’t quite exactly like gingerbread. These cookies are more gingerbread-man-like: thicker, denser, chewier, and cinnamonier (totally a word). I rolled them in sugar because it looks pretty, but if you want them even more gingerbread-man-esque, you can definitely skip that step. Or you could ice them and stick on some candies and make children and grown men everywhere happy.
What I love about gingerbread is that the spices involved mean it’s never too sweet. As an added bonus, the ginger settles the stomach, which in my case is still doing flips from the way-too-many hot, cheesy dips I shovelled into my mouth this wonderful holiday season.
Gingersnaps are one of my kids’ most favourite cookies, and now these are too! They stay soft and chewy for days stored in an airtight plastic container (plastic is KEY if you want soft, chewy cookies – if you like your cookies crunchier, then glass containers or cookie jars are the way to go).
I went a little photo-happy on these because I was loving the textured white background – how do you like all those circles? It’s like little echoes, or reflections, of cookies, cookies, and more cookies!
Now do you see it?
Sorrynotsorry. Circles are a favourite of mine. It’s ok to pick favourites when it comes to shapes, right? If I had the patience, I would paint each of those circles a different colour, leave the background white, and paste it on my wall (it being actual paintable wallpaper, after all). I think the front entry would be a good place for that kind of “wow” effect, yes? Would you dare venture further if that greeted you?
Maybe if you could smell some fresh baked gingerbread cookies…
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup molasses
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground cloves (optional)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup granulated sugar + ¼ tsp cinnamon for rolling dough in (optional)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with oven rack in the middle position. Lightly grease a large baking sheet or line with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream butter with electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add both sugars and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add molasses, egg and vanilla and mix until smooth.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, soda, cornstarch and spices.
- Add dry ingredients to butter mixture and mix on low until incorporated. (Dough can be covered and refrigerated at this point for later baking, if it's too sticky to handle immediately).
- Scoop tablespoon size balls of dough and roll in sugar to coat, if using.apart and bake for 9-10 minutes, until just set and the edges are starting to turn golden. Let rest on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
*Adapted from Crunchy, Creamy, Sweet.
Ooh, they’re so puffy! I LOVE cookies like that. So much better than the crispy hard kind! These look like the ultimate ginger cookies. :)
These look delightful in every way! I love the combination of spices that you used and how puffy and soft these cookies look!
Anna…I love these cookies. You know, I like gingerbread men. But I much prefer a soft chewy cookie. And these are exactly what I like! So pretty sprinkled with sugar, too! Happy New Year! : )
Circles are a good shape. I suspect my shape is a circle or would be if I ate all these gorgeous cookies! :)
Oh, don’t you just love these cookies? So so good!! So glad you got to try then, Anna! They look fabulous!
They are a fabulous chewy cookie, thanks Anna!