Description
Delight in these festive White Chocolate Dipped Ginger Cookies, featuring a perfect blend of warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Soft and chewy molasses-infused cookies are baked to golden perfection, then half-dipped in creamy melted white chocolate and decorated with colorful holly candy melts for a charming holiday treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup + 3 Tbsp granulated sugar, divided
- 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Dipping and Decoration
- 3 cups white chocolate chips
- 3 Tbsp shortening
- Red and green candy melts (or tinted royal icing)
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg for about 20 seconds. Set this mixture aside.
- Cream butter and sugars: In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, ensuring they are fully blended.
- Add wet ingredients: Beat in the egg until combined. Then blend in the molasses and vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined.
- Chill dough: Cover the dough bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour. During the last 10 minutes of chilling, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Shape cookies: Scoop about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough at a time and roll into balls. Roll each dough ball in the remaining 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar.
- Prepare for baking: Place the sugar-coated dough balls on baking sheets lined with Silpat or parchment paper, spacing them 2 inches apart. Flatten the tops very slightly to level the dough evenly. Keep any dough that is not in use chilled.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges are set but centers are still soft.
- Cool cookies: Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for several minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Melt white chocolate: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt 1 cup of white chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon of shortening at a time on HIGH power in 10-second intervals, stirring thoroughly between each interval until smooth and pourable. Work in small batches to prevent burning and maintain a runny consistency.
- Dip cookies: Dip half of each cooled cookie into the melted white chocolate, then gently scrape the bottom of the cookie along the edge of the bowl to remove excess chocolate. Place dipped cookies back onto Silpat or parchment paper to set at room temperature.
- Decorate holly (optional): Melt red and green candy melts according to package instructions in small batches. Fill a piping bag fitted with a #4 tip and pipe holly decorations onto the white chocolate while it is still unset. Allow to set completely at room temperature. Alternatively, use holly sprinkles for decoration.
Notes
- Keep unused dough and melted white chocolate chilled or warm as needed to maintain optimal consistency during preparation.
- Work in small batches when melting white chocolate to prevent it from cooling or burning.
- The optional holly decoration adds festive appeal but can be substituted with holiday sprinkles.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 100mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
