Giant Ginger Cookies

Ginger cookies are the definition of Christmastime! One bite of these giant ginger cookies and you will be transported to a world of Christmas trees, gift giving, holiday music, and cups of hot cocoa. I love making a batch of these chewy cookies and filling my entire home with the smell of sugar and ginger!

Giant Ginger Cookies are one of my all time favorite cookie recipes. They are THE  classic Christmas cookie. The flavors of ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and the molasses mixed together make for one tasty cookie. I first posted this recipe in 2008, during my first year of  blogging here at A Bountiful Kitchen. The recipe was adapted from an old Better Homes and Garden cookbook, which included shortening, instead of butter in the ingredients.

The shortening will lend itself to a more puffy cookie as opposed to a more flat version.  If you are looking for a cookie that travels well – meaning,  in the mail for a long period of time without getting dried out or breaking easily, use the shortening version! The shortening instructions are mentioned in the notes. If not, I think you’ll like this updated version of the BHG classic.

Giant Ginger Cookies are perfect for bringing to any of your holiday gatherings this month. Cookie exchanges, family dinners, neighbor gifts, church parties, etc.! You can even make the dough ahead of time, wrap it up tight in plastic wrap, and throw it into the freezer until you want to bake the cookies! Just thaw the dough before you bake the cookies. I’ve also shaped the dough, and frozen the dough in balls and then taken out to bake about an hour beforehand. Making cookie dough all in one day for Christmas baking minimizes the amount of mess in the kitchen!

Not only are these cookies delicious, but they are BIG! The scoops of cookie dough are 3 inches- a little bit bigger than a golf ball. Who doesn’t love a giant chewy ginger cookie?? The raw large grain sugar on  top of this cookie gives the cookie a little crunch and sparkle for your cookie platters.  If you like a smaller cookie, any size scoop will work, just watch the baking time to make sure the cookies are not overcooked. I hope you love this cookie and the updated 2018 version!

Giant Ginger Cookies

5 from 8 votes

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Author: Si Foster

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 10 minutes mins

Total Time: 20 minutes mins

Servings: 12 large cookies

One giant chewy ginger cookie that will satisfy any ginger cookie lover! This cookie is big and chewy and has just the right blend of spices. 

Ingredients 

• 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour, **5 cups if you want the cookies to be puffy!
• 4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups unsalted butter
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 eggs
• ½ cup molasses
• 1/2 cup coarse sugar (raw or Turbinado sugar), or granulated sugar

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Instructions

• In a medium sized mixing bowl, stir together the flour, ginger, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until softened. Gradually add the 2 cups granulated sugar, beat until mixed well. 
• Add eggs and molasses, beat well. 
• Add half of flour mixture, mix on low until combined. Stir remaining flour in with a large spoon.
• If the dough is sticky, refrigerate for 1 hour before baking. This will also help the cookies to hold their shape while baking!
• Using large ice cream scoop, or #16 cookie scoop, shape dough into 3 inch balls. About the size of a golf ball. Roll in the coarse or granulated sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet about 4 inches apart.
• Bake in a 350 oven for 12 minutes or until cookies are light brown and puffed. Check the cookies after 10 minutes. (Do not over bake or cookies will not be chewy.) 
• After they are removed from the oven, slam the cookies sheet on the counter. The cookies should crackle. Sprinkle on a little more sugar while hot.

Notes

-If you are using shortening, use 1 1/2 cups shortening, I prefer half butter flavor and half regular Crisco.  Also, 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 2 eggs. all other ingredients stay the same. 

-If while baking the cookies spread unevenly, use a small spatula immediately after removing from oven and push the edges back to form a circle.