Big Soft Ginger Cookies (Restaurant Copycat)
⏱️ 1 hour 33 minutes (includes chilling time)👥 24 cookies servings❤️ Taste: 10/10
Nutrition Facts
Calories
135
Protein
1g
Carbs
21g
Fiber
N/Ag
Health Benefits
Gut Health3/10
Anti-Inflammatory4/10
Blood Sugar Control3/10
Ingredients
- •- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- •- ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- •- 1 cup granulated sugar
- •- ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
- •- 1 large egg, room temperature
- •- ¼ cup unsulfured molasses
- •- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- •- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- •- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- •- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- •- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- •- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- •- 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
- •- 3 tablespoons coarse sanding sugar or turbinado sugar for rolling
Instructions
- 1Combine flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and black pepper in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk together thoroughly and set aside.
- 2Beat softened butter in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy and smooth, about 1 minute. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar to the butter. Cream together until light and fluffy in texture, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl sides as needed.
- 3Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Pour in molasses and beat until the mixture is uniform in color and smooth, about 1 minute more.
- 4Reduce mixer speed to low. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, beating just until no flour streaks remain and dough comes together. Do not overmix.
- 5Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate dough for 1 hour to allow it to firm up, making it easier to handle and preventing excessive spreading during baking.
- 6Position oven rack in the center. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- 7Place coarse sugar in a shallow bowl. Scoop chilled dough using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop or measure, forming balls about 1½ inches in diameter. Roll each dough ball between your palms until smooth. Immediately roll in coarse sugar until completely coated, pressing gently so sugar adheres.
- 8Arrange sugar-coated dough balls on prepared baking sheets, spacing them 3 inches apart to allow for spreading. Bake one sheet at a time for 11 to 13 minutes, until edges are set and lightly golden but centers still appear slightly soft and puffy. Cookies will look slightly underbaked—this is correct.
- 9Remove from oven and let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 3 minutes to set their structure. Transfer cookies carefully to a wire cooling rack using a thin spatula. Allow to cool completely, about 20 minutes. The texture will firm up as they cool while maintaining a soft, chewy center.
- 10Store cooled cookies in an airtight container with parchment paper layers between them to preserve softness for up to 5 days.