Delia Smith Ginger Cookies Recipe

Delia Smith Ginger Cookies Recipe

This Delia Smith Ginger Cookies Recipe is a chewy and spiced recipe, which is made with deep molasses and warm ground cloves. It’s a soft-baked classic, ready in about 25 minutes.

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Delia Smith Ginger Cookies Recipe Ingredients

For Rolling:

  • 2 tablespoons white sugar

For the Cookies:

  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1 tablespoon water
Delia Smith Ginger Cookies Recipe
Delia Smith Ginger Cookies Recipe

How To Make Delia Smith Ginger Cookies Recipe

  1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the 2 tablespoons of white sugar for rolling into a small bowl and set it aside.
  2. Sift dry ingredients: Sift the flour, ground ginger, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and salt into a medium bowl. Sifting ensures the spices are evenly distributed and removes any lumps of baking soda.
  3. Cream butter and sugar: In a separate large bowl, beat the softened butter and the remaining 1 cup of white sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. This step incorporates air for a softer cookie.
  4. Add wet ingredients: Beat in the egg, then stir in the molasses and water until fully combined. The mixture will look dark and syrupy.
  5. Combine: Gradually stir the sifted dry ingredients into the molasses mixture until well combined. The dough will be soft but manageable.
  6. Shape and coat: Using floured hands, pinch off pieces of dough and shape them into 24 walnut-sized balls. Roll each ball in the reserved sugar until fully coated.
  7. Flatten and bake: Place the sugar-coated balls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten each ball slightly with the bottom of a glass. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes. The tops should be cracked, but the centers should still look soft.
  8. Cool: Remove from the oven. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes to set, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Delia Smith Ginger Cookies Recipe
Delia Smith Ginger Cookies Recipe

Recipe Tips

  • Don’t Overbake: The secret to a chewy ginger cookie is pulling them out while the center is still soft. They will firm up as they cool on the baking sheet. If you bake them until they are hard in the oven, they will be tough once cooled.
  • Molasses Selection: Use a standard unsulphured molasses (like Grandma’s) for a classic flavor. Blackstrap molasses is much more bitter and less sweet, which can alter the taste significantly.
  • Sifting is Key: Ground ginger and cloves can sometimes clump. Sifting the dry ingredients ensures you don’t bite into a pocket of pure spice.
  • Flattening: Gently pressing the cookies down helps them spread evenly. Dip the bottom of your glass in sugar to prevent it from sticking to the dough.

What To Serve With Delia Smith Ginger Cookies

These warming cookies are perfect for chilly days.

  • Hot Cider: Apple cider complements the spices perfectly.
  • Cold Milk: A classic dunking partner.
  • Chai Latte: Double down on the spice flavors.
  • Vanilla Ice Cream: Make ginger cookie ice cream sandwiches.
Delia Smith Ginger Cookies Recipe
Delia Smith Ginger Cookies Recipe

How To Store Delia Smith Ginger Cookies Recipe

  • Room Temperature: Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To keep them soft, you can place a slice of apple or white bread in the container.
  • Freeze: You can freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months. Alternatively, freeze the raw dough balls (without the sugar coating), then roll in sugar and bake from frozen (add 2 minutes to the bake time).

Delia Smith Ginger Cookies Recipe Nutrition Facts

  • Calories: 130
  • Total Fat: 4.
  • Saturated Fat: 2.5g
  • Cholesterol: 15mg
  • Sodium: 110mg
  • Total Carbohydrates: 22g
  • Dietary Fiber: 0.5g
  • Sugar: 12g
  • Protein: 1.5g

Nutrition information is estimated per cookie based on 24 servings.

FAQs

Why did my cookies spread too much?

Spreading can happen if the butter was melted instead of softened, or if the cookie sheet was hot when you placed the dough on it. Chill the dough for 30 minutes if it seems too soft.

Can I use fresh ginger?

This recipe relies on the concentrated flavor of ground ginger. Fresh ginger adds moisture which changes the texture. Stick to ground ginger for the classic u0022snapu0022 or chew.

Can I use brown sugar instead of white?

Yes, using brown sugar in the dough will result in a moister, chewier cookie with a deeper caramel flavor, though the original recipe calls for white sugar for a lighter texture.

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Delia Smith Ginger Cookies Recipe

Recipe by Anne MorganCourse: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

24

servings
Prep time

15

minutes
Cooking time

10

minutes
Calories

130

kcal

Soft, chewy, and crinkled on top, these spiced molasses cookies are a timeless treat rolled in sugar for a sparkly finish.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups flour

  • 2 tsp ground ginger

  • 1 tsp baking soda

  • 3/4 tsp cinnamon

  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves

  • 1/4 tsp salt

  • 3/4 cup butter, softened

  • 1 cup white sugar (plus 2 tbsp for rolling)

  • 1 egg

  • 1/4 cup molasses

  • 1 tbsp water

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Set aside rolling sugar.
  • Sift flour, spices, soda, and salt.
  • Cream butter and 1 cup sugar until fluffy.
  • Beat in egg, molasses, and water.
  • Mix dry ingredients into wet.
  • Shape into 24 balls; roll in sugar.
  • Flatten slightly on ungreased sheet.
  • Bake 8-10 mins until tops crack. Cool on sheet 5 mins.

Notes

  • Cracked Tops: The beautiful cracks appear as the leavening works and the surface dries out before the center sets; don’t open the oven door too often!
  • Butter: Unsalted butter allows you to control the salt, but if using salted butter, reduce the added salt to a pinch.

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