I know that I like ginger in stir-fry and in gingerbread men, but I haven’t explored it much outside of that.  Until recently that is…  A co-worker of mine brought these ginger cookies in one day and I fell in love.  I found the recipe and my journey to learn more about ginger began.

The unique thing about these cookies is that they don’t just use a ground ginger but instead crystalized ginger.  Crystalized ginger is the root cooked in sugar until soft. Which makes a sweet treat by itself as well.  I found the crystalized ginger at a local spice store called Penzey’s (if you have one in your area I highly suggest you check it out.  They have about every spice imaginable. With information about each one.  For me it is a learning experience each time I go).

The recipe is from Barefoot Contessa on Food Network.  The recipe says that it makes 16 cookies.  I made them that size and the next time I make them, I will make them smaller and yield more.  The size I made was just a little too big for my liking, but it is really personal preference.

These cookies would be a wonderful gift for the neighbors, teachers, or anyone on your gift list this Christmas.  They have a soft chewy texture with a great ginger kick that will be sure to please!

    •    2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
    •    1 teaspoon baking soda
    •    2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    •    1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
    •    1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    •    1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
    •    1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
    •    1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
    •    1/4 cup vegetable oil
    •    1/3 cup unsulfured molasses
    •    1 extra-large egg, at room temperature
    •    1 1/4 cups chopped crystallized ginger (6 ounces) — I used it straight from the package and found the pieces to be a little big, next time I would chop into smaller pieces
    •    Granulated sugar, for rolling the cookies

Directions