It seems to be a very American thing, to spend the entirety of December baking cookies in the build up to Christmas.

I’m not complaining, I love cookies, but it just seems so extreme in American kitchens. Granted, I’ve mainly been looking at food-based Instagram and Pinterest board and blogs, but there is suddenly a huge cookie boom everywhere I look.

Sugar cookies in Christmas cookie-cutter shapes. Gingerbread men and women. Snowball biscuits. Cranberry shortbread. Chocolate chip cookies. Cookie bars. Ginger molasses cookies. So. Many. Cookies. It’s a good thing my full time job isn’t baking, because I’d be broke, and three times my current size.

Luckily, when I am baking at the moment, I’m sharing all the wares with anyone that gets to see me that day (or week). Plus, the guys and girls at work are always happy to be taste testers. 

I had a request to make ginger cookies of some kind, so when I saw enough photos of these cookies being posted all over Instagram, I decided it was time to get back into the kitchen for some cookie-making.

The thing I love about baking cookies is that the dough is really quick and easy to make, and the cookies themselves don’t need long in the oven. You can have fresh, ready-to-eat cookies in less than 45 minutes (if your dough doesn’t need to chill). This dough does need to chill, for at least 2 hours, so make sure to take that into account if you plan to make these.

Ingredients

220 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
200 g caster sugar
100 g dark brown/muscovado sugar
100 g soft light brown sugar  
125 ml molasses
2 eggs
520 g all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons caster sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, ground ginger, ground cloves and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugars (except the 3 tablespoons of caster sugar) until light and creamy. 
3. Mix one egg in at a time, at a medium speed, until each egg is combined fully. Add the molasses and beat until incorporated.
4. Gradually add the flour mixture, beating on a low speed, until everything is evenly mixed together.
5. Place the dough in an air-tight container, and put in the fridge for at least two hours, or until dough is completely chilled.
6. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with reusable parchment/baking paper.
7. In a small bowl, combine the 3 tablespoons of caster sugar and 1 and a half tablespoons of cinnamon.
8. Using a cookie scoop (or coffee scoop), scoop out balls of dough, and roll them in your hands. Roll each dough ball in the cinnamon sugar mix, until completely coated.
9. Place on the baking tray, at least 2 inches apart from each other as the cookies will spread out as they bake.
10. Bake for 8 – 10 minutes, until the cookies just begin to crack on the top. Keep an eye on the cookies, as mine started to catch (burn) after about 6 minutes due to the sugar on the outside. Be warned!
11. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes on the tray before transferring to a cooling rack.
12. Enjoy warm or cold.
13. Cookies will last for up to 5 days in an air-tight container.