It’s safe to say when most people think of ginger cookies, they think of ginger snaps—those crunchy-ass medallions that come in a cardboard box you’ve had in your pantry since birth. Well friends, I am here to change that conviction.
One of my roommates in college used to make the most outrageous molasses ginger cookies, ever. They were soft and chewy with a deep, rich flavor that somehow still felt light enough it was no problem smashing 5 or 6 per sitting. These are not those cookies. They are, however, pretty damn close AND I added pumpkin—#fall.
The pumpkin puree gives the cookie a seasonal makeover without tasting artificial, like so many other pumpkin treats this time of year.
I’m looking at you, Starbucks.
The sugar coating gives the outside a delicate crunch, and makes them look some kind of fancy, despite how easy the recipe is. When baking for company, the goal is to make the food look like it took hours, while exerting as little effort as possible. A 1.5″ cookie scoop will be your friend when it comes to keeping the cookies uniform (and giving off that perfectionist baker vibe). I also find it makes an ideal sized cookie—a little larger than bite-size, but small enough that you can eat two (or six) without feeling gluttonous. Well if you eat six, no promises.
These babies are basically sugar and butter, rolled in more sugar, and then sprinkled with sugar—so if you’re looking for a way to slim down over the holidays, you should probably look elsewhere. For everyone else, enjoy!
CHEWY PUMPKIN GINGER COOKIES
INGREDIENTS
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar + extra for rolling
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground clove
- pinch of salt
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Whip softened butter and 1 cup sugar together with a whisk (or an electric mixer) until light and fluffy. Add the pumpkin puree and molasses and mix until well-combined. In a separate bowl whisk the flour, baking soda, spices, and salt together. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture and mix until combined. Do not over mix.
Sprinkle a hefty layer of sugar on a large plate. With a 1.5″ cookie scoop, scoop dough onto sugar and roll into a balls, completely covering the dough with sugar. Place cookies on a greased baking sheet about two inches apart. Don’t press cookies to flatten. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until cracks form on top of the cookies.
Cookies will be very soft, so let them cool for a few minutes on the sheet before placing on cooling rack.
*Recipe makes approximately 30-40 cookies.
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