These are my favourite cookies. Although I think I may have said earlier that ginger molasses cookies are my favourites. Both are fabulous. Both are my favourites. (A bit like my daughters – both are my favourites.)
Crystallized ginger and dark chocolate are a perfect flavour combination, though milk chocolate would be just fine too. And I love how easy these are – only five ingredients. Six if you remember the baking powder. I often forget. Seven if you count the pinch of salt. You can whip up a batch while something else is cooking in the oven and then, if such things give you pleasure, you can feel virtuous about using your oven so prudently.
As my friends will attest – I’ve been making these cookies for years. The recipe comes from my mum. It probably came from her mother before that. It’s a very straightforward brown sugar shortbread recipe. My mother added the crystallized ginger because she’s a fiend for the stuff. I added the chocolate chips because I’m a fiend for chocolate.
When I was little and we had moved from England I used to be quite self-conscious about not having North American things – like Oreos and Twinkies and Pop-tarts and pop. Instead, we ate ginger shortbread, fruit cake and Yorkshire Parkin. And we drank tea. My friends turned up their noses. But even as a child, I loved ginger shortbread. It was only when I had a kitchen of my own that I discovered that it was just as easy if not easier to make the dough into cookies and add the chocolate chips. I always thought if I had a bakery (one of those little things I daydream about still) these would be one of my mainstays. Once you try them – you’ll know what I’m talking about…
crystallized ginger and dark chocolate shortbread drop cookies
- 1 cup butter (this also works with margarine which I use when dairy-free daughter is coming home)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder (I often forget this – still works fine)
- small pinch of salt
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup crystallized ginger cut into pea-sized chunks
Beat the butter and sugar. Stir in the flour, baking powder, salt, chocolate chips and ginger. Mix with a wooden spoon. Form into 1 inch roundish balls and place on a very lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 325 for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned.
♥ Jam Tart ♥ 
Ok. I’ll try them. I love simple baking recipes and this sounds like my kind of cookies. Love the crystallized ginger, something I would never think to use in cookies. Although I do love molasses cookies with crystalized ginger. Never made them but enjoy them from my favorite bakery. I need a recipe like this, something easily put together because my son often asks for something sweet and I need a “go to” recipe like this. He loves ginger too! Buttery goodness.
I hope you do try them Seana! Have you got a chalkboard up yet? xo
Not yet! We are remodeling and I told myself I am not going to purchase anything for the walls until we get this done! We’re almost done. I have some painting to do and the backsplash needs to go up too. We made it to the end of the project with these few minor things to finish up and my husband decided to rebuild our front steps/entry! 🙂 Geez.
I hope you show us some photographs sometime. I’d love to see your kitchen. But don’t worry about showing us your front steps! 😉
Your cookies sound perfect for my tastebuds, I love both chocolate and ginger. Thank you for sharing your favorite cookie or your second favorite cookie with us. 🙂
Hi Karen – I know – I’m fickle! But you know how it is – I go in spells of making things and thinking this is just the greatest until the next greatest thing comes along! 😉
Oh these cookies sound delicious and I always had oreo’s., pop tarts etc.. but used to play tea party and I would imagine serving traditional tea fare to my dolls and stuffed animals. I agree, chocolate and ginger are a great combination and I too always dreamed of having a bakery, still would love it.Great recipe and post.
There was a young guy in Kingston who used to run a place called The Runcible Spoon. Every time I think of that name – I want to open up my own place. Something small and sweet and pretty. With really nice food. Maybe I will…. 😉
These shortbread drops look amazing- such a great recipe idea!
Thank you Jessica – to me they look kind of ordinary. But looks are not everything! These are surprisingly sophisticated.
Oh, I love crystallized ginger in cookies and biscotti! These look fabulous!!!! Thank you.
Thank you Chef Mimi – appreciate your comments very much!
Now I know what to do with the crystallised ginger I’d bought around Christmas time. You’re right, so good with chocolate.
Recently I kept harking back to an incredibly simple shortbread type biccy that my Aunt used to make, that were small (not much bigger than a large glass marble) and stuffed with dates. I’m guessing the base of this could be used for those as well. Or my sable biscuits. Talking to myself again!
Those biscuits your Aunt used to make sound so good – I hope you recreate that one and post it. My mother used to make this shortbread in a rectangular pan and then ice it with a ginger icing that she made with golden syrup and butter and ginger and icing sugar. I’ve never been able to get that quite right but I remember when I was little – it was a favourite.
These look like they could be my favorite cookies too!
Thanks Kloe!