Passed down for many generations, these delectable ginger cookies have been baked by my grandmother, who then taught my mother, who finally taught me. Each year, it truly puts me in the holiday spirit when I pull out my baking ingredients and get the first hint of gingerbread sailing through the kitchen. I hope you’ll bring one of my holiday family traditions into your homes this season by baking up some of your own lemon ginger cookies. Bon appetite!
Ingredients
4 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups (packed) dark brown sugar
3 eggs
3/4 cup molasses
Zest of 1 lemon, grated finely
Juice of 1 lemon
4 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
Preparation
- Cream the butter and brown sugar together in a large mixing bowl until light.
- Beat in the eggs, and then add in the molasses, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
- Sift the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, and salt together in another bowl.
- Using a wooden spoon, stir into the butter-sugar mixture until completely incorporated.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it aside for 30 minutes (the batter may be made ahead at this point and frozen for later use).
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Drop the batter onto the baking sheets by the teaspoonful.
- Dip your fingers in warm water, and press the cookie drops down flat.
- Bake until browned, 10 to 13 minutes.
- Carefully lift the parchment from the baking sheets and transfer to a cool surface.
- When the cookies are firm, remove them from the parchment with a metal spatula.
- Serve with a dollop of homemade whipped cream for a delicious treat!
Servings: Approximately 6 dozen cookies