SippitySup

Christmas Chocolate-Ginger Cookies

Christmas Chocolate-Ginger Cookies

We’re looking towards another Christmas and, despite myself, I’ve made Chocolate-Ginger Cookies for the holiday cookie season. That same time of year when I tell myself (year-after-year) that I’m just not going to bother. I don’t mean I’m not going to bother with the holidays. Though it’s fun to insinuate it just to watch the Scroogey glances shoot my way. 

Nope, it’s not that. My halls will be decked with a little Christmas cheer and our menorah is ready to go. It’s the Christmas cookies I always try to avoid. It’s the fuss and muss most Christmas cookies require more than the yuletide yummies themselves that tempt me to skip the sugar and spice each year. Too much sugar, messy food dyes, sticky counters lined with neat little piles of cookies tied up in red and green ribbons. I don’t think so– I try to tell myself– it’s just not my style.

Ha-Ha-Ha!

Or should I say Ho-Ho-Ho? Because behold I bring you good tidings of great sugary joy in the form of Chocolate-Ginger Cookies anyway.

These Chocolate-Ginger Cookies (from Susan Spungen and NYT) are perfect for the season– rich, spicy and most importantly delicious. Christmas cookie purists may disagree because these cookies aren’t frosted, painted, or blitzed in sprinkles. You can’t roll them out and cut them into fancy shapes. They might look like turds if you tried to hang them on the tree. Still, I think the indulgent amount of ginger helps transform these cookies into Christmas essentials. 

So go ahead. Spin a dreidle, raise a glass, or bake some cookies. Happy Holidays. GREG

Christmas Chocolate-Ginger Cookies

Chocolate-Ginger Crinkle Cookies 

Print This Recipe Total time Yield 24Source Susan SpungenPublished
Chocolate-Ginger Crinkle Cookies

Ingredients

  • 45 gram all-purpose flour (about ⅓‑cup)
  • 30 gram Dutch-processed cocoa powder (about ⅓‑cup)
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 12 ounce bittersweet (70 %) chocolate (broken or chopped into pieces and divided)
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter
  • 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
  • 100 gram granulated sugar (about ½‑cup)
  • 55 gram light brown sugar (about ¼‑cup)
  • 1 tablespoon peeled and grated fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 70 gram candied ginger slices (thinly sliced crosswise)

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. 

Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl, and whisk to combine. Set aside.

Combine 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate and the butter in a small heatproof bowl that fits on top of a small saucepan without falling in. Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in the saucepan over high, reduce to a simmer, then set the bowl on top. Stir occasionally until completely melted. Remove bowl from the saucepan to cool slightly.

Combine eggs, granulated sugar and light brown sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment. Beat on medium speed to combine, scraping down the sides once. Increase speed to high and beat until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the ginger and vanilla. Beat to combine.

Add the melted chocolate mixture and beat on medium speed to combine. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until just combined. Remove bowl from mixer, scrape sides and fold a few times to make sure everything is well combined. Add the 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips and fold to combine.

Use a small cookie scoop to scoop dough (which will be pretty runny) into generous 1‑tablespoon portions. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, setting each scoop 3 inches apart. Top each cookie with a good pinch of candied ginger. Bake until the surface is crinkled and edges are firm, 8 to 10 minutes, rotating sheets from front to back and top to bottom halfway through.

Let cookies cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets, and transfer them to a wire rack to cool further. Scoop any remaining dough onto one of the baking sheets — it’s O.K. to reuse the parchment — and repeat. Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.