This is a delightful cookie for anyone who loves ginger: it’s simultaneously crispy around the edges and chewy in the middle, and the ginger flavor really comes forward even without adding candied ginger on top.

Mom credited this heirloom recipe in her recipe card box to her aunt Jean Fearheiley. This recipe falls under the umbrella of refrigerator cookies, which need to chill before you slice and bake them. Doing this step helps ensure a very even consistency of size and shape, which pleases my neurodivergent soul. If you’re not in a hurry, you can also just have cookie dough on hand for whenever you feel like baking a quick batch of cookies.

I was able to make exactly two dozen cookies (about four inches in diameter each) when I rolled the dough out to a log two inches in diameter and cut half-inch slices. The note from Aunt Jean said that the recipe should make four dozen, so you can probably get that if you cut the slices 1/4-inch thick instead. The dough really spreads out in the oven, so you will end up with a thin cookie either way.

3/4 c. butter (1.5 sticks)
1 egg
1/4 c. molasses
1 c. sugar
2 c. flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
candied ginger, finely chopped (optional)

Beat the butter, egg, molasses, and sugar. Sift the other dry ingredients together and stir into the rest. Shape the dough into a 2-inch-wide roll, wrap in foil, and freeze for 1 hour (you can make two shorter rolls if your freezer space is at a premium).

If you have a 2-inch diameter roll, cutting the cookies into 1/2-inch-wide slices will give you 24 cookies about 4 inches in diameter. These will spread quite a bit!

When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F.

Cut the dough into slices: 1/2-inch wide for 24 4-inch cookies, or 1/4-inch wide for 48 smaller cookies. Place onto a greased cookie sheet, leaving a good amount of space in between (usually 12 per sheet).

If you’re using candied ginger, place chopped pieces on top of the slices.

Bake for 9-10 minutes. 

Sprinkle with sugar and move to a cooking rack.