With chocolate, spice, and a little molasses magic, these chocolate ginger cookies bake up soft, cozy, and impossible to stop eating.
These chocolate ginger cookies deliver that perfect balance of warm spice and deep chocolate flavor. It’s a combo that always feels a little extra special. They’re soft in the center, lightly crisp at the edges, and rolled in sugar so they sparkle when they come out of the oven. Think classic molasses cookies, but with a rich chocolate twist and enough ginger to keep things lively.
They’re simple to make, chill beautifully, and bake up consistently great. Perfect for gifting, cookie trays, or just treating yourself on a chilly afternoon.
Why You’ll Love These Chocolate Ginger Cookies
- Big chocolate flavor with warming spice. Cocoa + ginger + molasses makes them taste cozy without being too sweet.
- Soft and chewy texture. Just the right amount of spread, with tender centers every time.
- Flexible mix-ins. Chocolate chips, candied ginger, both, or neither. You can make them your own!
- Great for make-ahead baking. The dough chills well and the cookies freeze beautifully.
- Roll-and-bake simplicity. No shaping or fuss; just scoop, sugar, and bake.
Key Ingredients
- Cocoa powder (Dutch-process preferred) – Adds deep chocolate flavor and keeps the molasses and spices from feeling too heavy. Dutch-process cocoa gives these a deeper, smoother chocolate flavor, but natural unsweetened cocoa works if that’s what you have.
- Molasses – Gives the cookies softness, moisture, and that classic chewy “ginger cookie” character.
- Ground ginger + cinnamon + cloves + nutmeg – A full, rounded spice blend that complements the chocolate rather than overpowering it.
- Chocolate chips or chunks – Add pockets of melty richness. Dark chocolate is especially lovely here.
- Candied ginger – For an extra punch of ginger heat and chewy texture.
How to Make Chocolate Ginger Cookies
Mix the dry ingredients well.
The cocoa and spices need to be evenly distributed so you don’t get pockets of cinnamon or cocoa streaks.
Cream the butter and sugars thoroughly.
A full 2–3 minutes of beating helps the cookies stay soft and rise properly.
Finish mixing.
Mix in the egg, molasses, and vanilla until smooth. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture and stop as soon as it’s mostly incorporated. A few streaks are fine here. Stir in the chocolate and/or candied ginger. The dough will be soft at this stage, but it will firm up as it chills.
Chill the dough for at least an hour.
This step improves the texture and helps control spreading. I often portion and roll before baking, but you can chill the dough and scoop just before baking if you prefer.
Roll in sugar before baking.
It adds sparkle and a subtle crisp exterior that pairs really nicely with the soft centers.
Bake just until set around the edges.
They’ll look slightly soft in the centers, and that’s exactly what you want for the perfect texture.
Tips for Success
- Weigh your ingredients for the most reliable results (especially the flour and cocoa).
- Chill before scooping if the dough feels sticky, or scoop first, then chill if you prefer. Both work well.
- Use fresh spices. Old ginger or cinnamon can make these taste flat.
- Bake one sheet at a time for even browning and consistent texture.
- Want extra sparkle? Roll the dough balls twice in sugar for a thicker coating.
- For thicker cookies, chill the dough longer or bake straight from the refrigerator.
Variations and Serving Ideas
- Double chocolate: Increase the chocolate chunks to ¾ cup (128g) for extra richness or up to 1 cup (170g) for a truly chocolate-forward cookie.
- Extra ginger punch: These skew more warm and cozy than fiery, but you can easily dial up the ginger if you love a little extra kick. Increase candied ginger or add ¼–½ teaspoon more ground ginger.
- Sugar swap: Roll in coarse sugar for crunch and extra shine.
- Holiday sandwich cookies: Make a simple ganache by warming ¼ cup (60ml) heavy cream and pouring it over ½ cup (85g) chopped chocolate. Let it sit a couple of minutes, stir until smooth, then cool until thickened but spreadable. Add a dollop between two cookies for a festive sandwich version.
How to Store
Room temperature: Keep them in an airtight container for 3–4 days.
Freezer: Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature. You can also freeze the portioned dough balls (sugar-coated or not) and bake straight from the freezer, adding an extra minute or two of bake time.
A Little Chocolate, a Little Spice, Pure Cookie Joy
If you love a soft, chewy cookie with warming spices and deep chocolate flavor, these chocolate ginger cookies are going to be a fast favorite. They’re easy, flexible, and just the kind of bake that makes your kitchen smell amazing. These make a great addition to holiday cookie boxes but are simple enough for an everyday treat. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did while testing. They disappeared fast around here!
More Spiced Cookie Recipes
Chocolate Ginger Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (42 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, (Dutch-process preferred)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200 g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup (85 g) unsulfured molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (85 g) semisweet or dark chocolate chips or chunks
- ¼ cup (40 g) finely chopped candied ginger
For rolling:
- about ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
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Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes). Mix in the egg, then the molasses and vanilla until well combined.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips and/or candied ginger, if using.
- Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour (overnight is fine). Alternatively, scoop the dough before chilling. (See notes.)
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
- Scoop the dough (about 1 1/2 tablespoons each, #40 scoop) and roll into balls. Roll each ball in granulated sugar to coat. Place 2 inches apart on the prepared pans.
- Bake one pan at a time for 10–12 minutes, or until set at the edges but slightly soft in the centers.
- Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Cocoa powder: Dutch-process gives the deepest, smoothest chocolate flavor, but natural unsweetened cocoa works if that’s what you have.
- Mix-ins: Use chocolate chunks, candied ginger, or both. For extra richness, increase the chocolate up to 1 cup (170g).
- Candied vs crystallized ginger: Both work well. Candied ginger is softer and chewier, while crystallized ginger is firmer and coated in sugar.
- Spice level: These are warmly spiced, not hot. For a stronger ginger kick, add ¼–½ teaspoon more ground ginger.
- Chilling: Chill the dough for at least 1 hour to make scooping easier and help control spreading. You can scoop first, then chill, if preferred. The dough will be a bit stickier before it’s chilled.
- Size & yield: A #40 scoop (about 1½ tablespoons) yields about 36 cookies. A #60 scoop makes smaller cookies; reduce bake time by 1–2 minutes.
- Bake-from-frozen: Dough balls can be frozen and baked straight from the freezer. Add 1–2 minutes of bake time.
- Sandwich cookies: For a simple ganache filling, pour ¼ cup (60ml) warm cream over ½ cup (85g) chopped chocolate. Let stand briefly, stir until smooth, and cool until spreadable.
- Storage: Store baked cookies airtight for 3–4 days. Freeze up to 3 months.
