Ginger Drops Cookies
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Similar to gingerbread or even gingersnaps, these vintage holiday Ginger Drops Cookies are even better, in my opinion. Soft and chewy, these Christmas cookies contain all of the wonderful flavors of spicy gingerbread without the crunchy texture. You will absolutely love these ginger cookies for their simple ingredients and perfect chewiness. As a person who can only stomach about one or two gingerbread cookies before becoming entirely sick of them, I could not stop eating these!
What are Ginger Drops?
After researching holiday recipes from the mid to late 19th century, I came across a recipe titled “Drop Ginger Cakes” that I thought sounded intriguing! After converting the calculations from the old-fashioned ingredient measurements to modern ones, I discovered that they appeared to be simple drop cookies.
Like so many of the cookie recipes from our history, ginger flavored cookies travelled to the United States with English, German, and Dutch immigrants. These flavors have always been popular during the winter holidays.
Why You’ll Love These Ginger Drops Cookies:
Simple Ingredients. These ginger cookies are incredibly simple, and they’re not overly sweet! You do not need a lot of spices, only ground ginger, but they still taste like a classic gingerbread cookie.
Easy to Make. You can easily make these cookies in about 30 minutes. They whip up quickly and can be baked right away.
No Chilling. This is one of the few gingerbread recipes that I have come across where there is no chilling required. Usually to retain its shape, gingerbread needs at least 1 to 2 hours of chilling in the refrigerator before baking. For these ginger drops, you can mix up the dough and bake immediately.
Gathering Ingredients:
Butter. I like to use salted butter, especially for this recipe as there is no added salt. For the best results, make sure that your butter is at room temperature or slightly colder, at about 62° F (16° C).
Light Brown Sugar. You can also use dark brown sugar for a richer flavor.
Molasses. Make sure that you use unsulphered molasses for this recipe.
Eggs. You will need 3 large eggs at room temperature.
Ground Ginger.
Baking Soda.
Flour. These cookies bake best with all-purpose flour.
Tips for Making Perfect Ginger Drops:
Weigh Your Ingredients. I develop all of my recipes by weight, so for the BEST results, I would highly suggest using a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients. Everyone’s measuring cups are different sizes, and this can really affect the final results of your baked goods. This is especially true for flour, which has air pockets!
Use Room Temperature Ingredients. But what is room temperature? For butter, it is best to have it warm up to 62° F (16° C). This is actually slightly colder than room temperature. If you do not have a thermometer, you can test the softness of your butter with your finger. Make an indentation with your finger into the side of the butter. It should be easy to press down, but it should not become greasy or melt.
Don’t Over-Mix the Dough. Make sure to follow the mixing times so that your cookies come out soft and chewy, rather than dense.
Final Thoughts:
These Ginger Drops Cookies are chewy and delicious. They might just be my new favorite cookie! Vintage Christmas cookies are some of my favorite recipes to make and develop. This easy Christmas cookie recipe is perfect for baking on a wintery weekend and sharing with your loved ones or putting into your Christmas Cookie Box. I hope that you enjoy this nearly 200-year-old cookie recipe. Perhaps your ancestors enjoyed these during their own holiday festivities!
xoxo Kayla
Ginger Drops: Vintage Christmas Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (232 g) salted butter, softened
- 1 cup (110 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) unsulphered molasses
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tbsp (6 g) ground ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 4 cups (520 g) all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat then oven to 350° F (177° C). Set aside 2 large baking sheets.
- In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment*, cream together the butter, sugar, and molasses until it is light in color and fluffy, though a bit clumpy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the eggs, beating them into the butter-sugar mixture for another 2 minutes more.
- To the wet ingredients, mix in the ginger and baking soda until well combined, another 1 minutes. Then, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the flour, about 1 cup (125 g) at a time, until the dough comes together and removes itself from the sides of the bowl, about 5 minutes. The dough should be soft and smooth.
- Spoon out the dough onto the baking sheets in 2 tablespoon (30 ml) size amounts. Arrange the cookies 2-inches (5-cm) apart.
- Bake the cookies for 8 to 9 minutes or until the edges are set and centers are a bit gooey. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and leave the cookies to rest on the baking sheets for a further 5 minutes before transferring to wire cooling racks.
- These cookies can be stored at room temperature in airtight containers for about a week.**
Notes
*You can make these cookies with a handheld electric mixer or even by hand! It will take a bit longer to cream the butter and sugar together by hand, but it is possible.
**TO FREEZE: Place the cooled cookies into a freezer safe bag or container. Label and date the container and freeze the cookies. They can be stored this way for several months. Simply remove the cookies from the container and thaw on the counter before serving, about 1 to 2 hours.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
209Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
