These chewy chocolate gingersnap cookies studded with dark chocolate chips come with two stories, the people I made them with and the people I shared them with.  A few of my International students came over one afternoon to help me make these, which they claim to be their first successful cookie baking time, later that day I shared the cookies at a cookie swap hosted by Bloggers Without Borders to raise money for Why Hunger. One tasty cookie making my day extra special in two different realms!!

With my students we made the dough, refrigerated it, rolled it into small balls, then refrigerated it again, then rolled it in sugar, then baked the cookies, then sampled them.  I think they were a bit confused by all of the refrigerating in the process and I was too, but the long process proved to make a tasty cookie!

While they were baking, we scoured through my cookie cookbooks for recipes they could try on their own.   They went home with some borrowed cookbooks and hopefully and new confidence in cookie  baking.

After a few hours the cookies and I headed out for the cookie swap!

For the cookie swap this year, Bloggers Without Borders raised money and awareness for the non-profit Why Hunger.  There were two fundraisers held, one in New York City and one in Salt Lake City.  Both swaps went off with a bang, with lots of delicious cookies to exchange and money raised towards hunger efforts around the globe.   We held ours at one of my favorite local restaurants, Finca, where we nibbled on tapas as we chatted and exchanged cookies.  We all left with more than a dozen of a variety of the most beautiful cookies I’ve seen.  Altthough mine weren’t show stoppers in appearance, they made up for it in rich and spicy flavor.

Chewy Chocolate Gingersnap Cookies Recipe

A chewy chocolate gingersnap cookie perfect for the holidays. 

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 32 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 2 dozen

Ingredients

  

• 7 ounces best-quality semisweet chocolate
• 1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoons ground ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup dark-brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

Instructions

 

• Line two baking sheets with parchment. Chop chocolate into 1/4-inch chunks; set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cocoa.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until whitened, about 4 minutes. Add brown sugar; beat until combined. Add molasses; beat until combined.
• In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in 1 1/2 teaspoons boiling water. Beat half of flour mixture into butter mixture. Beat in baking-soda mixture, then remaining half of flour mixture. Mix in chocolate; turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Pat dough out to about 1 inch thick; seal with wrap; refrigerate until firm, 2 hours or more.
• Heat oven to 325 degrees. Roll dough into 1 1/2- inch balls; place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Roll in granulated sugar. Bake until the surfaces crack slightly, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Here are the cookies that made an appearance at the swap, click website links for recipes:

Hot Chocolate Cookies –Soul Food Living

Chocolate Mint Thumbprints – Completely Delicious

Orange Butter Cookies with Grand Marnier Glaze –Mountain Mama Cooks

Double Dark Candy Cane Crunch Cookies – Bless This Mess

White Chocolate Kissed Gingerbread Cookies – Barbara Bakes

Lingonberry Cave Shortbread Cookies – Project Domestication

Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cookies – Two Peas and Their Pod

Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies – Sweet Treats and More

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies –Food Is Our Friend

Pizzelles – The Morsel

Cantucci, Italian biscotti – Cucina Vanina