Recipe Swap: Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

This was my first time participating in the recipe swap, put together by Sarah at A Taste of Home Cooking. I'm not going to lie, I was nervous. Both about how my submission would be received and about what recipe I would receive. I submitted the oatmeal cookies I did a couple posts ago, and got these chocolate gingerbread cookies from Cathy at Cathy's Kitchen Journey.

So, without further ado...

Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies


You will need:

• 1 1/2 cups plus 1 tbsp flour
• 1 1/4 tsp ground ginger (I actually did 1/4 tsp by accident, but it didn't leave them lacking any flavor)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tbsp unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder (I used Hershey's cocoa powder...it's what I had, sorry!)
• 1 stick butter at room temperature
• 1/2-1 tbsp freshly grated peeled ginger
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1.2 cup unsulfered molasses
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp boiling water
• 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips ( I used mini)
• 2 tbsp sugar, for rolling

In a bowl, sift together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and cocoa powder. Set aside.

In your mixer, using the paddle atachment, beat butter and grated ginger for 4 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in sugar to combine well, then beat in molasses.

Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix well.

Combine baking soda with boiling water. Beat into batter. Add the remaining flour to the batter and beat to combine. Mix in chocolate chips.

Refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray two cookies with cooking spray, or line with parchment paper.

Using cookie scoop, scoop out dough and roll into 1 1/2 inch balls. Roll them into sugar and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.

Bake  for 10-12 minutes in preheated oven, rotating half way through, until surface begins to crack. -My cookies were on the large side and ended up taking about 15 minutes.- Let cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Store in airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature.

Makes about 2 -2 1/2 dozen.

This is actually my breakfast this morning as I type this post:).

These cookies are a great spicy treat! They have a nice kick from the ginger, cloves and molasses, and a gooey sweetness from the chocolate chips. Matt and I both enjoyed a couple right out of the oven Mmmm:).

A big thanks to Sarah for arranging the swap and Cathy for the delicious cookie recipe!

Source: Cathy's Kitchen Journey, adapted from Martha Stewart's Cookies