Oh boy!! The holiday baking has begun in our household. Christmas parties are in full swing and we had our first one at Mom’s group yesterday. I brought some yummy pumpkin bars and a zucchini souffle. I will have to share the recipes.
I know I say I love a lot of different things, but ginger is among the top, right there with chocolate and tea!! Mix ginger and molasses together, and I would argue it’s pretty heavenly. One of my favorite cookies is Ginger Molasses Cookies. I just love the spice in these cookies. Gingerbread cookies would be my favorite as well, if they weren’t so hard. If it’s a chewy, softer gingerbread cookie I would love it. This is why ginger molasses cookies are my type of cookie. They are chewy and the have that seasonal spice. I like to put ginger in mine as well, the crystallized ginger chunks.
Molasses is an excellent addition to any baking. It actually has great health benefits. Molasses is high in iron and other minerals, has the lowest sugar content of any sugar cane product, high in calcium, magnesium and selenium and vitamin B6. It’s actually a great source of energy. So start to love the sticky, black goupy stuff. I love the smell of molasses as well.
For the holidays I love to add Ginger Molasses Cookies to my cookie and bread platter I make for neighbors and friends. I played around with recipes and finally found the perfect fit. It took a few years of perfecting. I wanted enough spice and a chewy cookie that pairs well with a cup of your favorite milk, hot cocoa, or eggnog.
I have shared this recipe on the blog before, but this is my new and improved version. Sometimes you just have to go back through old recipes and tweak them a bit. There’s a coffee shop/bakery in small town Montana, that makes the best Ginger Molasses Cookies. I had been trying for years to copy cat them and I can’t quite seem to match them perfectly.
I had mixed recipes, replaced ingredients with other ingredients and finally made up one I think comes pretty close. Thank you to my friend’s aunt for helping to inspire some ideas. I will say though, my cookies still don’t match their’s perfectly. Darn it!! Close second though.
Do allow time for chilling and if you don’t want a lot of cookies, I suggest halving the recipe. This recipe will make a fair amount.
- 1 c oil
- ½ c butter, softened
- ¾ c molasses
- 2 eggs
- 1½ c brown sugar
- 4½ c whole wheat flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cloves
- 2 tsp ginger
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp salt
- ¾ c crystallized ginger, chopped
- Combine oil, butter, molasses, eggs, and brown sugar. Mix well.
- In medium mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients, except the crystallized ginger.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in batches and combine well.
- Stir in the crystallized ginger.
- Chill dough for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 360 degrees & lightly grease a cookie sheet.
- Form dough into balls and roll in organic raw sugar (optional).
- Place dough on prepared greased baking sheet. & Bake for 12-15 minutes. (They will flatten a little. I flatten them even more with my spatula when I pull them out of the oven or before baking.)
- Cool on a baking sheet when done. Enjoy!!
Until Next Time Be Whole and Be Fit
These look so good! I love ginger this time of year! I must make these for my hubs.