Description
These chewy chocolate gingerbread cookies are a perfect holiday treat combining rich cocoa and warm spices. Rolled in sugar and baked without chilling time, they make a festive and easy cookie ideal for swaps or gifting. Optionally, they can be turned into luscious chocolate ganache sandwich cookies.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/2 cup (50 g) Dutch process cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 g) dark brown sugar, packed
- 1/3 cup dark molasses (not blackstrap)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Rolling
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
For Chocolate Ganache (optional, for sandwich cookies)
- 4 ounces (115 g) chocolate, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside to ensure the cookies bake evenly and do not stick.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, Dutch process cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Set this mixture aside; it will be combined with the wet ingredients shortly.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the room temperature unsalted butter together with granulated sugar and dark brown sugar on medium-high speed. Continue beating until the mixture becomes light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure even mixing.
- Add Molasses: On medium-low speed, blend in the dark molasses until fully combined. Scrape down the bowl again to incorporate any mixture stuck to the sides.
- Incorporate Egg and Vanilla: Add the large egg and vanilla extract to the bowl and mix until fully incorporated, ensuring a smooth batter.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Sift the prepared dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Mix on low speed just until the ingredients are combined; it’s okay if there are a few streaks of flour remaining. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies chewy.
- Final Stir: Remove the bowl from the mixer and gently fold the dough with a spatula, scraping the bottom to make sure everything is evenly combined.
- Roll and Sugar Coat the Dough: Pour the remaining granulated sugar into a small bowl. Using a 2-ounce cookie scoop, portion the dough and shape each portion into a smooth round ball with your hands. Roll each ball in the sugar until fully coated.
- Arrange on Baking Sheets: Place the sugared dough balls on the lined baking sheets, spacing them 2 to 3 inches apart to allow spreading during baking.
- Bake: Bake on the center rack for 10 to 11 minutes, or until the cookies have puffed and show cracks on the top while the edges are set. Do not overbake; overbaking will lead to crisp cookies instead of chewy ones.
- Cool Cookies: Remove from oven and let cookies cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will deflate slightly as they cool.
- Optional – Chocolate Ganache for Sandwich Cookies: Place finely chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until it simmers (bubbles along the edges, but not boiling). Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 4–5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Allow ganache to set at room temperature until firm enough to spread. Spread or pipe ganache onto the flat side of one cookie and sandwich with another cookie, pressing gently together.
Notes
- Store cookies tightly covered at room temperature for up to 5 days to maintain freshness.
- You can freeze baked cookies by cooling completely and sealing them in a large freezer bag placed flat on a shelf. They remain fresh up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.