Triple Ginger Cookies

Triple Ginger Cookies
Originally uploaded by Pictures by Ann

Tried a new cookie recipe with three types of ginger: fresh (minced), crystallized, and ground (dry). Was very happy with how they turned out.

They are spicy and full of flavor. In some bits, you can taste the ground ginger…and in others you get a tiny piece of the crystallized or fresh ginger.

They were a hit with everyone. They are soft cookies when they come out of the oven and remain soft and tender when cooled.

(The recipe was shared as part of the 52 Weeks of Baking Swap on Swap-Bot.)

Here's the recipe:

Triple Ginger Cookies
(Recipe is from the internet)

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup minced crystallized ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1/4 cup light (mild-flavored) molasses
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated fresh peeled ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/3 cup (about) sugar

Preparation

Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, crystallized ginger, baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until creamy and light, about 2 minutes.

Gradually beat in both brown sugars. Beat on medium-high speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add egg, molasses, fresh ginger, ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Beat to blend. Add flour mixture in 2 additions, beating on low speed just to blend between additions.

Place 1/3 cup sugar in small bowl. Measure 1 tablespoon dough. Roll into ball between palms of hands, then roll in sugar in bowl to coat; place on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining cookie dough, spacing cookies 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart.

Bake cookies until surfaces crack and cookies are firm around edges but still slightly soft in center, about 15 minutes. Cool completely on sheets on rack.

Note: I used dairy-free butter; and 1 cup of dark brown sugar rather than ½ cup each of golden and dark brown sugar. For the sugar, I used baker’s sugar rather than granulated. I only baked them for 12 minutes (rather than 15 minutes).

Lesson Learned

If You Go Out to Eat and Like What You Ate, Try to Find A Similar Recipe to Make at Home: The triple ginger cookie recipe is one that I found after eating a triple ginger cookie at a bakery in Minneapolis. My sister and I went to food market where there were many bakeries, restaurants, and stores in one building. This particular bakery had the most delicious cookies.

I was determined to find a recipe that could be made at home that was similar enough to the bakery version. At $1.50 (or was it $2) per cookie (my sister treated)…I knew a substantially less-expensive version could be made at home.

Same thing with another recipe I made this week (an artichoke and spinach dip similar to Olive Garden's recipe). Although I had never eaten the dip at Olive Garden, there are books that have recipes that are clones of food made in some restaurants. These are worth looking it. Especially when things are tight financially, it’s nice to feel like you are having the same type of food that is being served in nice bakeries and restaurants.