Cinnamon & Ginger Cookies

Ingredients

• 125 g (1 cup)plain flour
• 1 tsp (5 ml)ground ginger
• ½ tsp (2.5 ml)bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp (5 ml)ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp (1.25 ml)ground cloves
• 75 g (⅓ cup)softened butter
• 100 g (½ cup)white sugar
• 1 barwhite chocolate
• to tastesugar Christmas decorations
• 1egg
• 2 tbsp (30 ml)water

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat and sift

   Heat the oven to 175°C. Sift the flour, ground ginger, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and cloves together, then set aside.

2. 2

   Mix the dough

   In a large bowl, cream the butter with 1 cup of sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the water. Gradually mix in the sifted dry ingredients. Shape the dough into walnut-sized balls and roll them in 2 tablespoons of sugar. Arrange them 5 cm apart on an ungreased baking sheet and flatten them slightly.

3. 3

   Bake the cookies

   Bake for 8–10 minutes in the preheated oven. Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

4. 4

   Dip and decorate

   Melt the white chocolate and dip or drizzle it over the cookies, covering them halfway. Add the sugar decorations and leave the chocolate to set.

What are cinnamon and ginger cookies?

These are spiced, sweet biscuits in the familiar home-baking tradition of ginger cookies, with cinnamon and a little clove adding warmth. The recipe finishes them with white chocolate and colourful sugar decorations.

Creaming butter and sugar helps give the dough a light texture, while rolling the dough balls in sugar adds a crisp, sweet exterior. The chocolate is added only after baking and cooling.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 520 calories, 7g protein, 74g carbs, 22g fat.

Flour and sugar provide most of the carbohydrates, while butter and white chocolate contribute much of the fat; the egg adds some protein. Enjoy a cookie alongside fruit or yoghurt for a more varied snack, or serve it after a meal rather than as the whole plate.

The spice blend

Ginger: ground ginger brings the most direct warmth to the dough. Measure it carefully so it complements rather than overwhelms the cinnamon.

Cinnamon and cloves: cinnamon rounds out the flavour, while a small amount of clove gives the mix a deeper, aromatic note. Sifting them with the flour helps distribute them evenly.

Creaming the butter

Softened butter: it should yield when pressed but not look melted or greasy. Cream it with the sugar until the mixture looks paler and fluffy before adding the egg.

Adding the egg: beat it in before stirring in the water, as the method directs. Add the sifted dry ingredients gradually to make a cohesive dough.

Shaping and spacing

Even balls: aim for walnut-sized portions so the cookies bake at a similar rate. Rolling them in sugar gives their surfaces a fine, sparkly finish.

Room to spread: leave about 5 cm between cookies and flatten each one slightly. Use an ungreased baking sheet, as specified in the recipe.

When they are done

Baking time: check the cookies at 8 minutes and continue up to 10 minutes if needed. The method gives a time range but does not specify a colour cue, so avoid leaving them in beyond that range without checking.

Cooling: let them sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to a rack. Cool them completely before adding chocolate so the coating can set rather than run.

Finishing with chocolate

Melted chocolate: dip or drizzle it over each cooled cookie, covering about half as described. Add the sugar decorations while the chocolate is still soft so they stick.

Serving: allow the coating to firm up before stacking or packing the cookies. They are well suited to a biscuit plate alongside tea or coffee.

Recipe notes & tips

• Bring the butter to room temperature so it creams smoothly with the sugar.
• Sift the flour and spices together to avoid pockets of bicarbonate or clove.
• Keep the dough balls similar in size for more even baking.
• Check the first tray at 8 minutes, as ovens can vary.
• Wait until the cookies are fully cool before dipping them in chocolate.
• Add the decorations straight after dipping, before the chocolate sets.

Variations

• Extra ginger: increase the ground ginger slightly for a sharper spice note.
• Dark chocolate: use melted dark chocolate instead of white for a less sweet finish.
• Citrus zest: stir a little finely grated orange zest into the dough for a fragrant twist.
• Plain finish: leave off the chocolate and decorations for an uncomplicated spiced biscuit.
• Mixed sprinkles: use another small sugar decoration in place of the Christmas shapes.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Butter too warm: melted butter can make the dough greasy; use softened butter that still holds its shape.
• Uneven portions: differently sized balls bake at different rates; keep them walnut-sized.
• Crowded baking sheet: cookies need about 5 cm between them; bake in batches if needed.
• Moving them too soon: freshly baked cookies are delicate; leave them on the sheet for 5 minutes first.
• Decorating while warm: warm cookies can make the chocolate run; cool them completely before dipping.

How to store

Once the chocolate has set, keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature and eat within about 4 days. They are best served as they are; the recipe does not give reheating instructions.

Frequently asked questions