Giant Ginger Cookies

Looking for a gingery cookie recipe? Try these big, soft ginger cookies the next time you want a tasty cookie full of the warm flavors of ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and molasses.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Updated April 13, 2022
Elise Bauer
Giant Ginger Cookies recipe
Elise Bauer

My friend's daughter Audrey loves to cook. When Audrey and I were first getting to know each other, she made me a batch of her favorite giant ginger cookies. The original source is a recipe from Better Homes & Gardens. Audrey's one change is to swap out the shortening called for in the recipe with butter.

The first time Audrey made these cookies for me, she was about 10 years old. Now she's almost 15 and still makes these fabulous cookies. Here's what she told me about them when she was 10:

"I wanted to make these cookies because my mom always made these cookies when I was little, and they tasted soooo good! The first two times I made them, they didn't turn out so good (forgot to add the baking soda). The third time's the charm though. This time they turned out perfectly. I made them all by myself, without any help from Mom."

How to Freeze Ginger Cookies

You can freeze the baked cookies directly from the cookie trays first. Then, transfer them to a freezer bag for safekeeping for up to three months.

If you want to freeze the dough for future baking, shape them into 2-inch balls first, then freeze on a cookie sheet. Once they are firm enough, place them in a freezer bag until you're ready to bake them.

Defrost the dough balls before rolling them in the sugar before baking.

A Few Ideas to Play With the Ginger Flavor

Our readers gave us some of these suggestions:

  • Use chopped up crystallized ginger in or on top of the cookies.
  • Reduce the amount of ginger used for less of a ginger flavor.
  • Use a tablespoon of freshly grated ginger in place of the ground ginger.

More Soft Cookies to Whip Up

Check out all of our holiday cookie recipes here!

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Giant Ginger Cookies

Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 13 mins
Cooling 16 mins
Total Time 49 mins
Servings 24 servings

For ease, you can substitute the ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves for an equal amount of pumpkin pie spice.

Recipe adapted from Better Homes & Gardens.

Ingredients

For the dough:

  • 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 4 teaspoons ground ginger

  • 2 teaspoons baking soda

  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1 1/2 cups butter (3 sticks), at room temperature

  • 2 cups sugar

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1/2 cup molasses (unsulfured)

For rolling the dough:

  • 3/4 cup coarse or granulated sugar

Method

  1. Combine the dry ingredients:

    In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.

  2. Make the dough:

    In a separate large mixing bowl, beat the butter to soften it. Slowly, add the sugar, beating until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl when necessary. Beat in the eggs (one at a time) and the molasses. Mix in the flour mixture using a wooden spoon.

  3. Preheat the oven:

    Set the oven to 350°F.

  4. Arrange the balls of dough on the cookie sheet:

    Using 1/4 cup of dough at a time, shape the dough into 2-inch balls. Roll the dough balls in sugar. Place the balls of dough about 2 1/2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

  5. Bake until light brown, then cool:

    Bake in a 350°F oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until cookies are light brown and puffy. Cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

    Simple Tip!

    For cookies with lots of deep crinkles, bake them one sheet at a time.

    Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to three days or in the freezer for up to three months.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
304 Calories
12g Fat
47g Carbs
3g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 24
Amount per serving
Calories 304
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g 16%
Saturated Fat 7g 37%
Cholesterol 46mg 15%
Sodium 228mg 10%
Total Carbohydrate 47g 17%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 28g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 27mg 2%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 143mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.