How do you take a simple ginger cookie and make it better? You add more ginger. These Triple Ginger Cookies are loaded with three kinds of ginger, plus cloves, and nutmeg, to add even more flavor to these spicy chewy cookies.
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Ginger, oh, how I love thee. Most mornings, I put fresh ginger in my lemon water; it adds a zesty flavor and a bit of heat, and I love snacking on candied ginger. These gingerbread muffins are a favorite morning treat, and gingerbread Rice Krispie Treats are the kids favorites.
When I need a soothing drink, I make this Ginger Honey Tea, it's great for scratchy throats.
Of course, I bake with all kinds of ginger. Ginger's spicy, peppery, lemony flavor adds great flavor to sweet and savory dishes.
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Don't forget to pin this to your favorite Pinterest board for when you want some delicious cookies.
Let's talk about ginger
Ginger is an ancient spice from Asia used in food and medicine.
There are seven forms of ginger, and this recipe uses three of them
- Fresh or Raw Ginger: Used in various forms such as grated, chopped, and sliced; you can even juice raw ginger. Fresh ginger can be used in cooking, baking and drinks. In its fresh form, ginger can be pretty pungent but will mellow with cooking or baking.
- Crystallized ginger: Here, pieces of ginger are cooked in sugar and water to soften the fibers in the ginger, then these pieces are coated in sugar. Use crystalized ginger for snacking and toppings for desserts. This type of ginger still has some heat, but not as much as fresh ginger.
- Ground ginger: This is in the powdered form and adds a more pungent ginger taste to your foods than fresh ginger. You can substitute ground ginger for fresh using ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger, which equals one tablespoon of fresh ginger.
The flavor of ginger is mildly sweet and can have different flavor notes depending on the piece of ginger so that you can expect lemon, pepper, and cinnamon flavors.
For this recipe, you need some spices—yes, these cookies are full of ginger, of course, nutmeg and cloves. Get ready to measure, grate and chop.
You're gonna love these cookies
- These cookies have great flavor, are not too sweet, and have just the right amount of spice.
- You can taste the ginger inside and out.
- If you like tender, chewy cookies, these ginger cookies are for you; the molasses makes them chewy.
- These cookies have the classic sugary crinkle cookie top.
- Cookie making should not be hard; with these cookies, you mix, chill and bake. EASY!
- And, if you like to make these for the holidays, read this How To Make Christmas Cookies In Advance, because these cookies can be made a week before, and they will stay nice and fresh.
Ginger Cookie Ingredients
You need basic ingredients from the pantry and aromatic warming spices.
- White Sugar
- Butter - I use unsalted butter that has been softened.
- Molasses - this will give these cookies a deep flavor.
- Egg
- Flour - All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Fresh ginger - This will add zing to these cookies. This ginger needs to be grated
- Ground ginger
- Crystalized ginger - This ginger is sugared and adds a nice chewy texture. Make sure it is chopped into small pieces.
- Nutmeg & Cloves - these spices have a delicious undertone of flavor.
How To Make Triple Ginger Cookies: Step By Step
This is a super easy cookie recipe: mix the wet ingredients and add the dry ingredients and the spices. The most important part of the recipe is letting the dough chill for an hour so all the flavors can develop.
Step 1. Prepare the grated ginger. I keep my ginger in the freezer, so it is always on hand. It is also easier to grate ginger when it is frozen. Use a Microplane zester/ grater for the best results.
Step 2. Measure two tablespoons of the candied ginger and place it on a cutting board. Chop the ginger into smaller pieces with a sharp knife.
Step 3. Mix the sugar, butter, molasses, and egg in a large bowl. Beat on medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Step 4. In a small bowl, add the flour, baking powder, soda, salt, grated ginger, chopped candied ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Mix well to incorporate all the spices.
Step 5. Add half the flour mixture to the batter and mix on medium speed to incorporate, then add the other half and mix in the flour.
Step 6. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
Step 7. While the dough is chilling, mix the ¼ cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon of powdered ginger in a small bowl. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 8. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls, then roll in the ginger sugar. Place on baking sheets 2 inches apart and bake for 10 -12 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack, and feel free to eat them warm from the oven.
Crinkle Cookie Tip
When making crinkle cookies with granulated sugar, sometimes the sugar bakes off, so you don't see it on top of the cookie. So if you want more sugar, dip the top of a warm cookie in the ginger and sugar mix.
Recipes with crystallized ginger
- Try this recipe for Banana Cake that's rolled with a cream cheese filling and topped with pecans, cranberries, and ginger.
- Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is always a fall favorite and is topped with lots of ginger.
Cookie Faq's
There is a difference. Candied ginger has been soaked in sugar and water to soften it, and then it is stored in the sugar syrup. Crystalized ginger has also been soaked in sugar and water, but it is dried and then coated in sugar.
Baking tools and ingredients to make ginger cookies
One of my favorite kitchen tools is my zester/grater. It's such a handy tool for zesting and grating citrus and spices.
When I bake cookies, I always use a 1-inch cookie scoop so my cookies are all the same size and bake up nice and round.
And don't forget the ginger. These ginger pieces are my favorite for baking, and I love to nibble on the ginger for a sweet and spicy snack.
More treats to bake and eat
Recipe
Triple Ginger Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup butter softened
- ¼ cup molasses
- 1 each egg
- 2 ¼ cup AP flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger
- 2 tablespoons canided ginger chopped
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teapoon ground cloves
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
- Use a grater or zester, grate the fresh ginger.
- If the pieces of crystalized ginger are large, you can chop them into smaller pieces. I do this by placing the ginger on a cutting board and make a couple of chops with a chef's knife.
- In a large bowl add the sugar, butter, molasses, and egg. Beat on medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. You can also use a stand mixer.
- In a small bowl add the flour, baking, soda, salt, grated ginger, candied ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Mix well to incorporate all the spices
- Add half of the flour mixture to the batter and mix on medium speed to incorporate the flour, then add the other half and mix until the flour is combined.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
- Heat the oven to 350° f and prepare cookie sheets with parchment.
- Mix the ¼ cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon of powdered ginger in a small bowl.
- Using a cookie scoop, scoop the dough into 1-inch balls then roll the balls in the ginger sugar mixture. Place on baking sheets 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, until set. Cool on a wire rack, then store in an airtight container.
- Option - if you want more sugar on top of the cookies just dip the top in the ginger sugar mixture when they are still warm.
Notes
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Nutrition
Published Feb 18, 2017, last updated Sept. 20, 2022
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About Jere' Cassidy
From learning to cook on a farm in Indiana to culinary school in California, my passion for food is never-ending. Turning on my oven to bake something for friends and family is my happy place. I am glad to be sharing sweet and savory family-friendly recipes for your cooking and baking inspiration.
Claire
I just love the delicious chewy texture of these ginger cookies. Will be making these again!
Andrea
these triple ginger cookies are the perfect fall cookie! so full of yummy flavors and is the perfect dessert to enjoy this season. loved em!
nancy
candied ginger used really gave this recipe a new elevated flavour profile. thanks for sharing your tips!
Keri Bevan
I've never used candied ginger before, so I was excited to try it out in this recipe. Loved it! These cookies are the perfect fall treat.
Marcellina
This is seriously my kind of cookie! Ginger on ginger! Such an excellent recipe particularly the final coating in ginger sugar - so good.
Karen
Finally, a ginger cookie that delivers on ginger flavor! These were incredibly tasty and jam packed with ginger flavor. The texture of the cookie was just perfect. Will save this recipe to make again, thank you!
Deborah
These ginger spice cookies look so good. I'm ready for fall and spices, too!
Drea
It is June 5, 2021 - who said you had to wait till the holidays until to bake these? Just finished baking a batch and they are soft, chewy and gingery. And yes, not too sweet! Definitely different than the ginger snaps that I have made in the past. Thanks for sharing this recipe. Will definitely make it again.
Jere Cassidy
So glad you enjoyed these cookies. I love ginger so we enjoy these cookies throughout the yearr.
Lucy McMorris
Great cookie! Easy to make and very flavorful. Will definitely make again for my Christmas cookie baskets. And I don't like making cookies! I made one small change and used turbinado sugar to roll the cookies in rather than granulated white sugar. I also had to make make some more of the ginger sugar to roll them in.
Jere Cassidy
That is a great idea to use the turbinado sugar, I will try that next time I make the cookies.
Adriana Lopez Martin
Wow, I love that you added candied ginger too! This cookies really look tasty I wish I could be there to try them. Happy holidays amiga xoxo
Kristi
I bet your house smells amazing when these are baking. They sound delicious and the fact that they stay chewy is perfect!
Jenna
I'm crazy for anything sweet and gingery for dessert! Going to make these for an upcoming holiday cookie swap.
Jere Cassidy
Yeah, for ginger.
Andrea @ Cooking with Mamma C
Dipping the cookies in ginger sugar sounds like a must! What a great recipe for the holiday season.
Emily
So much ginger! I can't wait to make these over the holidays. My family will love them.
Helene D'Souza
That's a brilliant idea to roll the cookies into ginger sugar for more flavor. I like that you added 3 kinds of ginger too with candied ginger and powdered ginger included.
OneHotOven
Ginger adds great flavor, I love using it.