Double Ginger and Honey Chocolate Chip Cookies
These aren't for Keith
The inspiration for these cookies came from the 2 pounds of fresh ginger in my house after a greedy trip to Mitsuwa, the giant Japanese supermarket in sort-of nearby Edgewater, New Jersey.
After many iterations, I realized fresh ginger wasn’t giving me the explosive warm taste I was looking for, so I opted for the secret of my double ginger cookies: diced crystallized ginger. Dried powdered ginger is used as the background ginger note.
You can go for bittersweet (I used a mix of 70% and 62%) or semisweet shards of chocolate. Bittersweet yields a very sophisticated flavor profile and would make a good companion to a glass of Armagnac or a macchiato. (Please note, I do not think I’ve written such a pretentious sentence in a while. But, but, but, it WOULD make a great combination, if it makes me sound like
The secret to these cookies, however, is the large amount of honey in the dough, which morphs the butter flavor into a rich caramel, and ensures a soft cookie that stays soft.
Maybe you’ve read this far and yet you despise ginger. For your patience with my ginger obsession, may I suggest substituting a heaping tablespoon of orange zest in place of all the ginger ingredients. Maybe some chopped walnuts or pecans, too.
A note on working with honey and chopped ginger:
Both of these ingredients can be a sticky, fussy mess to work with, but there are a few secrets to simplifying your relationship to them.
To measure and pour honey effortlessly: Smear a drop or two of flavorless oil into the measuring cup and spread it around evenly. Don’t forget the spout!
To cut crystallized ginger. Oil a big ol’ chef’s knife on both sides before cutting the ginger first into slivers, and then into smaller pieces. The ginger should just slip right off.
Double Ginger and Honey Chocolate Chip Cookies
makes about 4 dozen
Note: These should be refrigerated 2 hours or up to 2 days before baking.
What You’ll Need:
1 3/4 cup (210 grams) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
8 ounces (226 grams) butter, softened and cut into 16 pieces
1 cup (170 grams) dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup (85 grams) honey
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 cup (about 40 grams) crystallized ginger, minced
1 1/2 cups (240 grams) chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
What You’ll Do:
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, powdered ginger, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
Use the paddle attachment with a stand mixer to cream the butter for 2 minutes, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides and the beaters.
Add the brown sugar and honey and beat for another 2 minutes. Scrape, scrape and, y’know, scrape.
Beat in the egg and the egg yolk until fully incorporated and no longer a sploshy mess.
Add the flour mixture and beat on low until fully incorporated. Scrape down the paddle and the sides of the bowl. Raise the speed to medium and beat for 20 seconds. Add the crystallized ginger and chocolate and stir on low until evenly incorporated.
Refrigerate the dough for 2 hours or up to 2 days
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Form the dough into 2-inch balls and leave 3 inches between each cookie because these dearies spread.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until golden. Rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes before removing to a rack to cool further.
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How is your week going? Do you make a fuss of Memorial Day? Shall we have pie? Barbecue recipes? Cocktail recipes? All of them? Keith, what do you want?
It was DOUBLE FUN seeing you Marissa! You are one of the funniest women in New York!!!
Come for the recipe, stay for the picture. Can't wait to bake, and eat, these.