White Chocolate Dipped Ginger Cookies

White Chocolate Dipped Ginger Cookies are a must-have cookie on your holiday dessert tray! They’re soft and chewy ginger and molasses cookies with white chocolate and Christmas sprinkles! Like soft gingersnap cookies!

These cookies are a variation of another recipe on my blog called Joe Froggers Molasses Cookies - an old fashioned recipe for oversized molasses cookies that dates back to the late 18th century. Looking for more holiday cookies to add to your dessert table this year? Try 50 Fabulous Christmas Cookie Recipes.

Why I love these chewy ginger cookies

• Ginger cookies dipped in white chocolate are a Christmas regular for me and make such a great holiday cookie.

• These classic molasses-and-ginger-flavored cookies are just as tasty as they are gorgeous.

• I love the sweet white chocolate paired with the slightly spicy ginger and molasses cookies!

• The perfect Christmas cookie to enjoy during the holiday season with a cup of hot chocolate!

• They taste just like gingerbread cookies or chewy ginger molasses cookies!

What you need

Ingredient Notes

• Vegetable Shortening - This recipe is a bit unique as it uses shortening instead of butter. I used Crisco and it worked beautifully. Plus it's a little bit cheaper than butter which is very expensive right now.

• Brown Sugar – I used light brown sugar for this recipe. Reason being, dark brown sugar has more molasses flavor and we already have straight molasses going into the cookie dough.

• Molasses - Recipe calls for 1 cup molasses which is what gives these cookies that wonderful holiday flavor. Do not substitute regular syrup as the cookies won't have the same flavor and will not bake correctly.

• Spices - You'll need ground ginger, ground cloves, ground nutmeg and allspice for the best ginger cookies.

• White Chocolate Melts – Do not use white baking chips because they don't melt well. I prefer using vanilla candy coating or candy melts. My favorite is Almond Bark. It's the same flavor as melted white chocolate. So maybe I should change the name to Almond Bark Dipped Ginger Cookies but then no one searches for that name. If you prefer to use melted white chocolate chips, add a little bit of vegetable oil to make it a smoother consistency for dipping.

How to make this delicious recipe

1) In a medium bowl, mix whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt and spices. Set aside. Cream shortening and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed (or by hand). Add molasses and beat well. With mixer on low, add flour mixture and water alternately, beating until well blended after each addition. Divide dough in half and wrap in plastic wrap; chill overnight or at least 2 hours.

2) Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll chilled cookie dough one-half at a time on lightly floured kitchen counter, about ¼-inch thick. (I used a classic rolling pin.) Cut with floured 4-inch round cookie cutter. Bake on parchment lined sheet pans or lightly greased cookie sheet.

3) Bake for 8-9 minutes or until just done but not browned around edges. Cool cookies on wire rack. Store in airtight container. Makes 22 soft cookies.

4) Dip in melted vanilla candy coating. Place dipped cookie on parchment lined baking sheet. Sprinkle cookies with Christmas sprinkles. Let set for an hour.

Note: If you use a 2 ½ inch round cookie cutter, then you will get 44 perfect cookies. Also, if you want to make these cookies gluten free, simply substitute the flour with gluten free flour. I tested the recipe that way as well and it worked great.

Expert Tips

• Make sure you allow enough time to chill the dough overnight.

• Allow at least 1-2 inches between cookies when baking.

• They freeze well! Make sure to store in an airtight container.

• You can sprinkle with sugar before baking, if desired, but I found them sweet enough.

• This recipe is vegan (if you don't dip them in white chocolate) as the cookie dough contains no milk, eggs or butter.

Frequently asked questions

How long will they keep? If you store cookies in an air-tight container, they will last up to 10 to 14 days, making them idea for a Christmas cookie exchange.

Can I freeze these? Yes you can, if you don't dip them. These can be made ahead, frozen, and then served for the holidays to save you some time. Simply place the plain cookies (without the candy coating) in an air-tight container for up to a month and thaw on the countertop when ready to use.

Do I have to roll out the dough? No you don't. You can scoop the dough and shape into 1-inch balls, then place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake as directed. They will puff up a bit more this way.

Happy Holidays!

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