Pies and Plots

Writing Never Tasted So Sweet

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Press
  • Contact
  • Books

Giant Ginger Cookies

April 16, 2012

Share
Pin4
Tweet
Email
Print
4Shares
Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

Ginger Cookie

I don’t make cookies a lot, mostly because in the past I haven’t had a lot of luck with them.  For some reason I found it very difficult to tell when a cookie was done or not, and I leaned on the side of overdone rather than underdone.  While a slightly underdone cookie may still be delicious, a slightly overdone one?  Not so much.  I’ve gotten better at baking cookies from doing it more and making really big, soft cookies.

I love ginger in just about everything, and I love that it’s super healthy too.  Ginger cookies are some of my favorites, but it’s hard to find good soft and chewy ginger cookies.  Most are ginger snaps, which are certainly good if you’re in the mood for them, but there’s something about a really soft, dense, spicy ginger cookie.  These certainly fit the bill.

They are a different kind of cookie, as they rely on vegetable oil as fat rather than butter.  I can’t remember the last time I made a cookie or even ate a cookie with vegetable oil, but I really like the idea of relying on lighter fats than butter in any baked good, so I was happy to give this recipe a try.  The end product is very different from cookies with butter.  It’s not necessarily better or worse, just very different in texture and even flavor.

Baking Ginger Cookies

Baking Ginger Cookie

Since they are ginger cookies, I doubled the amount of ground ginger.  I used a little less crystallized ginger (1 cup compared with 1 ¼ cups) than the recipe calls for because I thought it seemed like a lot, but I definitely think the recipe could take more crystallized ginger as this was the best part of the cookie.  It stayed in pieces, but took on a soft texture that melded perfectly with the rest of the cookie, adding just a hint of spice in each bite it inhabited.  Crystallized ginger is another tough to find ingredient.  I absolutely love the Crystallized Ginger Medallions from the Ginger People.  The flavor is unparalleled and the quality fantastic.

The recipe called for one extra large egg.  However, because I only use Davidson Pasteurized Eggs in my baked goods and they only have large eggs, I put in one large egg, though I thought about adding an additional one.  This resulted in a dough that was very crumbly and would not come together.  I added that second egg, and the problem was solved.

Ginger Cookies

The cookies have a firm, never crunchy, exterior and a dense, deeply colored, almost cakey interior.  The different kind of exterior, not one I find in many, if any, cookies, can probably be attributed to the use of oil instead of butter.  The flavor of the cookies is great, but in some bites, particularly those without the crystallized ginger bits, the molasses flavor completely overwhelms the flavor of the spices.  This doesn’t make them bad cookies, not by a long shot, but it makes them a bit more of a molasses cookie than a ginger cookie, and I don’t think upping the spices any more would change that.  This may also be due to the lack of butter which would have imparted its sweet flavor, whereas vegetable oil really doesn’t have much of a flavor at all.

These are great and unique cookies that are quick and easy to make, no mixers or refrigeration of dough necessary.  Give them a try the next time you have a craving for cookies that are just a little different from typical ones.  Cookie baking success is also easy to achieve with these nearly foolproof treats.

Giant Ginger Cookie

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Giant Ginger Cookies


★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆

No reviews

  • Total Time: 33 minutes
  • Yield: 12 1x
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 1/3 cup unsulfured molasses
  • 2 large eggs (pasteurized if you like)
  • 1 cup crystallized ginger, chopped into small pieces
  • Granulated sugar for rolling cookies

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. In a large bowl mix together brown sugar, oil, and molasses until well combined. Add the eggs, and mix until fully incorporated. Add the dry ingredients to the wet while stirring. Mix until a homogeneous dough is formed. Add the crystallized ginger and mix to combine.
  3. Using a regular sized ice cream scoop, scoop the dough into 12 balls and roll them in the granulated sugar until fully coated. Place the cookies on the sheets, 6 per sheet, 3 rows of two. Bake for about 13 minutes, rotating halfway through if necessary. When fully baked, the cookies will be cracked on top, but still soft to the touch. Allow cookies to cool completely on the cookie sheets.
  4. They may be stored at room temperature up to 5 days in an airtight container or frozen, wrapped in parchment and foil and placed in a zipper bag for up to 6 months. Thaw at room temperature for about an hour or warm briefly, 5 to 10 minutes, checking frequently, in a 350 degree F oven for that freshly baked cookie taste.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa at Home

  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 13 mins

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @piesandplots on Instagram

 

 

Filed Under: Baked Goods, Cookies Tagged With: Cookies, Ginger

« Apple Pecan Muffins
Morton’s Steakhouse »

Comments

  1. Marine Pina Urrútia says

    April 19, 2012 at 10:14 pm

    Love your blog, in fact arrived by checking yahoo and google for a comparable issue to this post. Which means this might be a late post nevertheless keep up the great work.

    Reply
  2. Lara says

    June 12, 2012 at 8:46 pm

    Hi,
    Thank you very much for putting up this easy-to-follow recipe. I ended up making the flour half white and half whole meal. I also made them into smaller cookies as a whole one is too much for me and didn’t roll them in sugar (as it was already sweet enough for me). They turned out great and now my kitchen smells of all the spices! Hahaha

    Thanks again!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      June 13, 2012 at 3:12 pm

      Hi Lara, Thanks for visiting my blog 🙂 I’m glad you enjoyed the cookies. The smells of baking are one of the best parts. It never gets old to have the house smell like spices or butter or fruit!

      Reply
  3. sueshe says

    August 16, 2012 at 3:38 pm

    I made these the same day as I made the peach crisp. I really wanted to like this recipe,but most of the cookies are still in the jar. I have a good recipe for ginger snaps which I’ll go back to. I like the flavor of using butter in cookies,and really missed it in this recipe.

    Reply
    • Laura says

      August 16, 2012 at 5:05 pm

      Sueshe, I’m so sorry to hear you didn’t like this recipe. Though these cookies aren’t my favorite, I really liked them. However, they have more of a spice flavor than ginger flavor and kind of a cakey texture from the oil. You mention you have a favorite gingersnap recipe, which I would think would be crunchy. These are big soft cookies and not at all gingersnap like, so that may have been part of the problem too. Part of baking and cooking is finding out what you like. I am always finding new favorite recipes, as well as some that I don’t care for, but sometimes the adventure if part of the fun. I hope you will still try other recipes on my blog!

      Reply
      • sueshe says

        August 16, 2012 at 9:35 pm

        Oh yes,I really like some of your recipes. Trying new recipes is a hobby I enjoy,they can’t all be perfect for me!

        Reply
        • Laura says

          August 17, 2012 at 3:44 pm

          It is fun to try new recipes, even if some of them don’t work out. I look forward to hearing about what you try next 🙂

          Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Welcome to Pies and Plots. I’m Laura Dembowski, writer, baker, and fashionista sharing recipes, reviews, and tips to inspire you to enjoy life both inside and outside the kitchen.
…Read More

The Latest

Categories

piesandplots

Fashion 👡 👗Florida ☀️🌴 Fiction 🖋📚 Food 🎂🥩
#ootdshare #floridavibes #amwriting #bakersofinstagram

Laura Dembowski
So many things to be thankful for today and everyd So many things to be thankful for today and everyday 🧡  Thanksgiving will always be my reminder to be grateful for my move to Florida 🌴  Three Thankgivings ago I got on an airplane and never looked back. I'm so lucky I get to call this magical place home and share it with people I love and care about 💛 

#thanksgiving #grateful #thankful #happygirl #luckygirl #floridavibes #floridagirl #floridaholiday #floridathanksgiving #orlandoinfluencer #orlandoflorida #orlando #thecitybeautiful #resortlife #vacayvibes #strikeapose #model #blondehairdontcare #floridafall #winterpark #winterparkfl #ootdshare #styleblogger #stylish #fashionista #familytime #dressup #floridalife #livinginparadise #isthisreallife
In my celebration era since it's Mom's birthday 🎂 🎉 🍾  Karma is this one of a kind smart, strong, kind woman being the one I can count all day every day 💪 I hope today and all the days are awesome for you, Mom 💖 My days are better with you as a part of them 🌟

#ootdshare #fashionblogger #fashionistas #likemotherlikedaughter #momsofinstagram #momsarethebest #momsaresuperheroes #happybirthday #happybirthdaymom #lookgoodfeelgood #celebrate #happygirl #luckygirl #blondehairdontcare #floralprint #winterparkfl #floridagirl #floridavibes #familyphotography #familytime #strikeapose #model #styleblogger #redlipclassic #waldorfastoria #waldorforlando #winterpark #ageisjustanumber #momboss
Dirty Chai Banana Bread is my all-time favorite ba Dirty Chai Banana Bread is my all-time favorite banana recipe 💛

It's easy to make, is super comforting (especially during this dreary Orlando weather), and it screams Thanksgiving breakfast 🍂

The recipe is on the blog as always 🍌

#ontheblog #linkinprofile #comfortfood #grainfree #glutenfree #bananabread #bananabreadrecipe #bananarecipes #dirtychai #sugarspiceandeverythingnice #butfirstcoffee #f52grams #todayfood #yahoofood #buzzfeedfood #huffposttaste #bonappetit #imsomartha #bakefeed #thanksgivingrecipe #thanksgivingbreakfast #fallrecipe #paleobreakfast #paleorecipe #eatrealfood #eatdessertfirst #bakersofig #bakersgonnabake #breakfastofchampions
All the fall and Thanksgiving vibes with these But All the fall and Thanksgiving vibes with these Butter Tart Bars 🍁🍂🍁

This recipe adapted from @mary_berg3 is on the blog ❤️

#ontheblog #linkinprofile #ambaking #bakersofig #fallbaking #fallvibes #thanksgivingvibes #thanksgivingrecipe #thanksgivingdessert #falldessert #raisins #pecans #imsomartha #buzzfeedfood #huffposttaste #thekitchn #comfortfood #gooeydessert #cookiebar #eatrealfood #paleodessert #paleorecipe #grainfree #glutenfree #eatdessertfirst #buttertart #buttertartbars #maplesyrup #todayfood
Since it's November I can post all the holiday pho Since it's November I can post all the holiday photos and start dreaming about spending as much of the season as humanly possible at the Ritz right??? 🎄✨🎄

#ontheblog #linkinprofile #ootdshare #lookgoodfeelgood #fashionista #fashionstyle #styleblogger #christmasfashion #holidaydress #holidayfashion #christmasvibes #holidayvibes #rcmemories #ritzcarlton #ritzcarltonorlando #teddybeartea #teatime #afternoontea #strikeapose #model #blondehairdontcare #redlipclassic #partydress #fancydress #smokeyeyes #gingerbreadhouse #floridachristmas #floridaholidays #orlandoinfluencer
Still can't believe I got to meet Bryan Cranston a Still can't believe I got to meet Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul last night!  I'm a huge fan of both of them after watching Breaking Bad, and I love Dos Hombres mezcal 🍹  They are super nice guys and took their time chatting and taking photos with everyone there. I'm so thrilled I got to attend this event and that it was at the Waldorf, one of my favorite places 🌴💚 The signed and engraved bottle is a fabulous keepsake from an unforgettable evening ✨️

#breakingbad #doshombres #doshombresmezcal #bryancranston #aaronpaul #cheersyall #mezcallovers #waldorforlando #waldorfastoria #orlandoflorida #orlando #orlandoinfluencer #thecitybeautiful #takemeback #bestnightever #likemotherlikedaughter #nightout #lookgoodfeelgood #blondehairdontcare #ootdshare #sequindress #partydress #happygirl #luckygirl #isthisreallife #floridagirl #resortlife #memories #strikeapose
Load More... Follow on Instagram
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 · Pies and Plots · Web Design by Viva la Violet