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Cookies | December 3, 2018

Giant Ginger Cookies

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

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.

Ginger Cookies


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!

Giant Ginger Cookies
Giant Ginger Cookies


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!

5 from 8 votes
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Giant Ginger 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. 

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword christmas cookies, cookies, ginger cookies
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 12 large cookies

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

Instructions

  1. In a medium sized mixing bowl, stir together the flour, ginger, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.

  2. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until softened. Gradually add the 2 cups granulated sugar, beat until mixed well. 

  3. Add eggs and molasses, beat well. 

  4. Add half of flour mixture, mix on low until combined. Stir remaining flour in with a large spoon.

  5. If the dough is sticky, refrigerate for 1 hour before baking. This will also help the cookies to hold their shape while baking!

  6. 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.

  7. 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.) 

  8. 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.

Recipe 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. 

 

24 thoughts on “Giant Ginger Cookies

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Recipe Rating




  1. These taste so yummy! My cookie had a more “puffed up” look instead flatter shape like yours! I didn’t chill the dough… but I’m wondering if you have a tip to help me achieve that flatter shape for this cookie?

    1. Madi,

      Did you use shortening or butter? Shortening will produce a puffier cookie…if you used butter, you can reduce the flour by 1/4 cup for a flatter cookie as well. Hope this helps!
      xo
      Si

  2. 5 stars
    I made these last night, I used margarine instead of butter so they were puffier—I just slammed the cookie sheet down more. Haha. My kids said they were delicious and my husband said they might be his favorite gingerbread cookie. I only cooked them for 10 minutes. 🙂 also the recipe was really easy to follow and didn’t require a ton of mess and ingredients. Thanks!

    1. Hi Angela,
      Glad your husband and kids loved the cookies. Thanks for letting us know about your adjustments!
      Merry Christmas,
      xo
      Si

  3. 5 stars
    Soooo good!!! I did everything just as the recipe says (except I didn’t have to refrigerate the dough before I rolled them) and they turned out so soft and yummy! I took some to work and I had people tell me they were the best gingerbread cookies they had ever had! I even froze some and they were still just as good and soft! Thanks for the recipe!!

  4. 5 stars
    Loved, loved, loved your Giant Ginger Cookies. Made them with my 8 yr old granddaughter. She loved helping with them and LOVED eating them as well.
    I can always count on your recipes to please my taste buds.
    Thanks for sharing

    1. You’re welcome, Jan. That’s one of my favorite parts about the holidays, making treats with friends and family. Thanks for your comment!
      xo
      Si

  5. 5 stars
    At Christmas time I was feeling home sick being pregnant and far away from family just dreaming of my grandmas delicious chewy ginger snaps when I saw this recipe on Instagram. I decided to give it a try and let me tell you that since then I have made 14 dozen of these cookies because everyone wanted some after tasting them! I dare say they are even better than my grandmas (shhh don’t tell!) finding molasses was tricky so I am going to be buying mine in October and storing it for the holidays this year!

    1. I’m sorry to hear you were sick during Christmas Brenna. These cookies are some of my favorite to make during that time of year. Great idea to buy molasses a little earlier in the year so you can store it for the holidays! Thanks for sharing and for reading ABK,
      xo
      Si

    1. Hi Maggie, I would cut down the cooking time to 7-8 minutes if you’re making them smaller. Just make sure to check them to see if they’re light brown and a little puffed around 6-7 minutes. Thanks for asking and for reading ABK!
      xo
      Si

  6. 5 stars
    These cookies are the absolute best ginger molasses cookie I have ever had! I made these for a family Christmas party and everyone loved them. They are so soft and had just the right amount of spice and molasses. Thank you for sharing Si!

    1. So glad to hear that Bonnie! This is one of my favorite cookies to make this time of year too. Thanks for sharing,
      xo
      Si

  7. 5 stars
    This recipe is amazing! It’s just the husband and I and the recipe makes a ton (48 ish for us, and we made them pretty big I thought!) so we cooked up 12 and then scooped up the rest and froze them. We’ve been eating them all week hot out of the oven and they are just as delightful every time. We did need to cook them a minute or two longer, but our oven may run cool. Overall 10/10 on this recipe!

    1. Hi Lauren,
      Thank you for your positive review of this recipe. It’s the right time of year to start making ginger cookies! You’re eating them in the perfect way – frozen first and then hot from the oven. Thank you for reading and sharing your comments on ABK.
      xo,
      Si