White Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies
The first batch I baked straight from the bowl spread into thin, lacy discs that ran into each other on the sheet. Kind of sad. Now the dough goes in the fridge for half an hour, and the cookies hold a thick, domed shape with cracked tops and edges that crisp up while the middle stays soft.
I chop a bar of white chocolate instead of using chips, because the uneven chunks melt into creamy pockets and a few big pieces stay visible on top. Molasses gives the dough its deep amber color and a slightly bitter edge that keeps the sweetness in check. Honestly, I pull them at 11 minutes even when the centers look underdone; they firm up on the hot pan. We eat them with coffee in the afternoon, and they keep about 4 days in a tin.
These white chocolate gingerbread cookies bake up big and thick, about 16 from one batch. The spice stays warm, never sharp. The chunks of white chocolate round out the ginger without hiding it. They're a good fit for holiday cookie boxes, and the scooped dough balls freeze well for baking later.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Whisk the flour, ground ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in a medium bowl until the spices are evenly spread through the flour. Set aside.2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp baking soda, 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground cloves, 1/4 tsp fine salt
- Beat the softened butter with the granulated and brown sugars on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.3/4 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- Beat in the egg until smooth, then add the water and molasses and mix until the dough turns an even amber color. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until no dry streaks remain.1 large egg, 1 tbsp water, 1/4 cup unsulphured molasses
- Fold in the chopped white chocolate with a spatula. Scoop the dough into 16 balls of a heaping 3 tablespoons each (about 2 1/2 oz or 74 g), pressing a few chunks onto the outside so they show after baking. Chill the dough balls on a plate for 30 minutes.12 oz white chocolate
- While the dough chills, heat the oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Place 8 dough balls on each sheet, 3 inches apart, and bake one sheet at a time for 11 to 12 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops crack but the centers still look soft.
- Leave the cookies on the hot baking sheet for 10 minutes so the centers finish setting, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition
Notes
For extra bite, fold 1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger into the dough with the white chocolate. Weigh the flour if you can, since too much of it turns these cakey instead of soft.
You might also like our Copycat Levain Bakery Cookies.
chilled mine the full 30 min and they didnt spread at all. used a white chocolate bar from the baking aisle instead of chips, way better chunks. gone in two days
good flavor, the ginger comes thru nicely. my oven needed 13 min and i think i overdid it a little, edges were more crunchy than crisp. still eating them lol
froze half the dough balls and baked them straight from frozen a week later, just added a couple minutes. these beat the gingersnaps i usually make every december