No holiday season is complete without a batch of homemade ginger cookies, and these ones are guaranteed to be loved by the whole family! Plus, this holiday cookie recipe is so simple, it’s easy to whip up a batch for last-minute visitors in no time.

We all know Christmas is a time for indulgence, and these delicious holiday cookies would make the perfect snack for cozy evenings in front of the fire with a mulled wine or hot cocoa, and even to give to friends and family as a thoughtful homemade gift. 

They contain all the rich, warming spices that you associate with the holiday season: ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, for a tasty sweet treat, and as a bonus, your house is filled with a delightful holiday scent that will waft into every room enticing anyone who smells them! 

Thanks to the black treacle, they are sweet and soft in the middle, with a slight crunch to the outside, so you won’t be breaking your teeth on them. 

The key to perfecting this cookie recipe is to make sure that the batter is cold before you bake them. Because they contain molasses (black treacle), the batter will be very wet. You can make the batter ahead of time, freeze it, then when you’re ready to bake pop them in the oven. The cold temperature will help to prevent the cookies from spreading once baked! 

Once baked, the cookies freeze well too – ideal if you want to save some for another day! 

So your holiday cookies don’t flatten, make sure you cream the sugar well until it’s light and fluffy to add plenty of air to the dough. If you’re still getting flat cookies, try turning the fan off in your oven to see if that helps, and failing that, add a couple more tablespoons of flour to your cookie dough mix. 

Next time you’ve got guests coming over, cook a batch of these easy ginger holiday cookies and see if your guests will be able to resist! We predict they will go down a treat. Just remember to sneak one for yourself before the plate is empty! 

Ingredients

1 1/2 sticks (6 oz)  unsalted butter, at room temperature  

1 cup packed dark brown sugar 

1 egg  

1/4 cup molasses (black treacle) 

2 cups all-purpose flour 

1/2 teaspoon of salt 

2 teaspoons of cinnamon  

1 teaspoon of ground cloves 

1 teaspoon of ground ginger 

1 teaspoon of baking soda  

Turbinado sugar (optional) 

How to make it

This mix makes about 18 cookies (if using a 2-tablespoon ice cream scoop)  

1. In a large bowl, beat together sugar and butter until light and creamy (about three to five minutes). 
2. In a separator bowl, whisk together the baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and flour. Add the flour mixture into the light, fluffy butter mixture and beat on low until just combined. 
3. Scoop out 2 tablespoons of dough using two spoons or an ice-cream scoop. Arrange on parchment-lined baking paper and freeze for 2 hours or until ready to bake. 
4. When you’re ready to bake, pre-heat the oven to 360F. 
5. Line two baking-sheet trays with parchment paper. Roll the cookie dough in turbinado sugar is you are using. Place on the prepared sheet trays, and leave at least 2” in between cookies, to give room for any spreading, so they don’t stick together. 
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let them cool before serving these tasty treats so they’ve got a good crunch!