Time to try something new in the cookie department

I’ve never really liked ginger bread cookies and was really skeptical on making these. I’ve been looking at this recipe for a couple of months and finally got up the motivation to try it. Boy am I glad I did! They are one of my favorite cookies! They’re everything you want in a ginger bread cookie. These are soft ginger cookies true to their name with the sweet comfort of white chocolate. The recipe does call for chilling the dough, which yes is time consuming when all you want is cookies but it is worth the wait. It took me about an hour and a half to create these delicious masterpieces.

Ok, so lets get started! First your going to need to mix egg, butter, and the sugars (granulated and light-brown, not large grain) into a large mixing bowl, until well mixed. I prefer to use the kitchen aid mixed and save my arms. If you don’t have a kitchen aid mixer, hand mixing will work perfectly as well. Plus you won’t have to go to the gym later. Once those are mixed I like adding the rest of the wet/ small ingredients. While the mixer is still mixing add molasses and vanilla. After it is well mixed I turn off the mixer and add all the spices (salt, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and baking soda). Mix that then slowly add flour. Be careful not to cover you kitchen in flour. Make sure the mixer is set on a low setting. Once the dough is all mixed cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for one hour. Do not skip this step it is very important! If you do you’re going to end up with very flat cookies that don’t have the nice soft fluffy insides that you and your fellow cookie eaters are looking for.

After an hour in the fridge its finally time! Start your oven to 350 degrees! Take the cookie dough out of the fridge and roll dough pieces into about an 1 ½ dough balls. Then you will drop them into a small bowl containing large grain sugar. Once coated with sugar place on parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Flatten the tops of cookie balls slightly. Bake for about 9 minutes at 350 degrees. Once they come out of the oven let them sit for a minute before placing on cookie rack to cool. Repeat until all the delicious cookies are baked and your kitchen smells like a ginger bread house.

Now its time for the best part! White chocolate! Line your counter/ workspace with parchment paper; make sure you have enough space. This is where you will be placing your finished cookies to dry. Next place white chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave bowl. If you don’t like the taste of coconut oil you can use shortening. Adding the oil will give your chocolate a smooth and silky finish that will make your mouth water. Microwave the chocolate in small increments as to not burn the chocolate. I usually start with 40 seconds then go by 20-second increments until the chocolate is nice and smooth. Make sure you stir chocolate between microwave cycles.

Dip each cookie in the chocolate half way and then set to dry. The chocolate takes about a half hour to dry. Cookies are good for 1 week in airtight container.

I hope you enjoy these delicious cookies as much as my family and I have.

Soft Ginger Cookies Dipped in White Chocolate

Yield: About 2 1/2 dozen

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

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

4 Tbsp large grain sugar

1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 large egg

1/4 cup molasses

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups white chocolate chips

1 ½ tbsp. coconut oil

Directions

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar until well blended. Mix in egg, then blend in molasses and vanilla. With mixer set on low speed, slowly add in dry ingredients and mix until combined. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees during last 10 minutes of chilling.

Roll cookie dough into 1 1/2 Tbsp. balls then roll in 4 Tbsp large grain sugar. Transfer to parchment paper lined baking sheets, spacing cookies 2 inches apart (keep dough chilled that is not currently baking), flatten tops just slightly (to evenly level). Bake in preheated oven about 9 minutes. Cool on baking sheet several minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt white chocolate chips with coconut oil in microwave in 40-20 second intervals, stirring between intervals, until melted, smooth and fairly runny. Dip half of each cookie in melted white chocolate mixture then run bottom of cookie slightly along edge of bowl to remove excess, then place on parchment paper to set at room temperature.