By Marian Burros
- Total Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- 5(183)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Contests pitting the baking ability of potential first ladies against each other began in 1992 when Hillary Rodham Clinton got everyone shaking and baking with her infamous cookie comment, discussing working as a lawyer while her husband was governor of Arkansas.
''I suppose I could have stayed home and baked cookies and had teas,'' she said. Her remark created a reactionary cookie contest, the brainchild of Family Circle magazine, which published her chocolate chip recipe and one from Barbara Bush.
In 2000, this recipe went up against Laura Bush’s Cowboy Cookies.
Featured in: It's Ginger vs. Chocolate in the Presidential Cookie Race
Learn: How to Make Sugar Cookies
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Ingredients
Yield:about 4 dozen cookies
- 3¾cups all-purpose flour
- 1½teaspoons baking soda
- 2½teaspoons ground ginger
- ½teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼teaspoon ground cloves
- ¾cup (1½ sticks) butter, at room temperature
- 2cups sugar
- 2eggs
- ½cup molasses
- 2teaspoons white distilled vinegar
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (48 servings)
106 calories; 3 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 19 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 11 grams sugars; 1 gram protein; 44 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Preparation
Step
1
Heat oven to 325 degrees.
Step
2
Mix flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and cloves in large bowl.
Step
3
In large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer at medium speed until smooth and creamy, 1 minute. Gradually beat in sugar. Beat at medium speed until combined, 2 minutes.
Step
4
Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each. Beat in molasses and vinegar until combined, 1 minute.
Step
5
On low speed, beat in flour mixture.
Step
6
For each cookie, roll 1 rounded tablespoon dough into ball. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. With fork, flatten each, and make cross-hatch pattern.
Step
7
Bake in oven 15 to 16 minutes, until slightly browned around edges. Remove cookies to rack to cool.
Ratings
5
out of 5
183
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Cooking Notes
Nank
This is an excellent recipe, and I'll bet it's true that Tipper Gore uses it. But to give credit where it's due, the recipe is straight from the Joy of Cooking (though they suggest 12 minutes in the oven, which is better if you want the cookies to be a little chewy inside.)
Justin G
The are a great recipe. I added another 1/2 teaspoon of ginger to give them a bit more zing. Plus increased oven temp to 350 to make them have a bit more crunch.
Susan
OK, I'm replying to my own comment. I read another ginger cookie recipe that suggests 'a wet fork' to flatten the cookie balls. And --wow-- it works perfectly!
kmg
Halved recipe, except sugar was 1/4th recipe and spices left as is, rolled our over 50 cookies cooked 6 min each side for total if 12 min
C Heiman
Reduce sugar to 1 1/2 c. Double the size. Add nutmeg, allspice and cardamom. Sub 100 g whole wheat flour.
Cindylou
Absolutely delicious! If making these cookies in high altitude, add a bit more liquid, refrigerate your dough briefly and cook for about 10-12 minutes. Your house will smell heavenly and the cookies are divine!
Amy B
I agree with the reviewer that a 350 oven brings more crisp, if that is what you like, with a baking time of 12 minutes.
Betsy R
Excellent. Rolled balls in sugar. Bake about 16 minutes. Get 5 1/2 - 6 dozen. We are ginger cookie connoisseurs and are very picky. These are great!
kmg
Halved recipe, except sugar was 1/4th recipe and spices left as is, rolled our over 50 cookies cooked 6 min each side for total if 12 min
Breuklyn
Thanks for the notes - increased ginger to 3 tsp and decreased sugar to 1.5 cups. Cooked 13 minutes for a perfect moist cookie. Dipping fork in flour made for perfect cross hatch design and no stickiness.. This will go into rotation.
Justin G
The are a great recipe. I added another 1/2 teaspoon of ginger to give them a bit more zing. Plus increased oven temp to 350 to make them have a bit more crunch.
Grant
This is one of the best ginger cookie recipes I have found. I do add a teaspoon of salt.
Perry
A perfect holiday cookie with a mild enough ginger taste that everyone will enjoy. Definitely bake for 12 or 13 minutes at most. For cross-hatching, either wet or flour the fork to keep from sticking. Flouring gives the cookie a pretty powdered sugar look without adding any unneeded sweetness.
Arthur
Really great and foolproof recipe. I lined my cookie sheet with parchment and they came out perfect. They are soft when they come out of the oven but firm up to a nice crunch as they cool. Up the ginger if you want a little more kick to your snaps.
Susan F
Delicious but too hard when baked for 15 minutes
Susan
I love the flavor of these cookies. I agree that 15-16 minutes is way too long to bake them….they get very hard. I'm going with 12 on these next batches.
I could use a suggestion for how to flatten the cookies with a fork, without having them stick to that fork. Any ideas? (I tried refrigerating the dough between pans of cookies, but that doesn't seem to work.)
Susan
OK, I'm replying to my own comment. I read another ginger cookie recipe that suggests 'a wet fork' to flatten the cookie balls. And --wow-- it works perfectly!
Nank
This is an excellent recipe, and I'll bet it's true that Tipper Gore uses it. But to give credit where it's due, the recipe is straight from the Joy of Cooking (though they suggest 12 minutes in the oven, which is better if you want the cookies to be a little chewy inside.)
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