Whole Grain Ginger Chunk Cookies
Do you love ginger? The sweet, spicy root is famous for adding zing to ginger snaps… or ginger ale… or even apple pie. While powdered ginger is the baking workhorse, candied ginger–juicy chunks of sweetened ginger root–holds a special place in my heart. Enough to create a cookie that is full of it: the Whole Grain Ginger Chunk Cookie (based loosely on my Cowboy Cookies in a Jar).
Whole Grain Ginger Chunk Cookies
If the taste isn’t enough to justify eating ginger, you may be happy to learn that this spice has anti-inflammatory properties. When one of my dancer hips starts to ache, I figure I’ll try eating my way to better health. Pass the cookies!
Candied Ginger
Since I was doing this for my health (okay at least partly), I tried to make a cookie that was as nutritious as possible while still tasting like a cookie—whole wheat pastry flour, lower fat, etc. In my first version I used coconut oil and unsweetened coconut. “Is there coconut in here?” whined my youngest (derision filling her voice). So version number two has olive oil and grated carrots instead. Even healthier!
Whole Grain Ginger Chunk Cookie Closeup
I have made these cookies with and without chocolate chips. If you are a diehard ginger person like me, you can eat these straight. If you are a die-hard chocoholic, add some chips. As I tested I learned that people can be pretty polarized about a chocolate/ginger combo. Some of my testers felt the chocolate muddled the ginger; others felt it made the cookie. I enjoyed it both ways!
Whole Grain Ginger Chunk Cookies, Stacked
Now if I could just get rid of the calories.
Whole Grain Ginger Chunk Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 cup rolled oats quick or old fashioned
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/3 cup grated carrots or coconut
- 1 egg
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup nuts
- 1/2 candied ginger chopped
Instructions
- Combine flour, oatmeal, baking powder, baking soda, brown sugar, cinnamon and grated carrots in a mixing bowl.
- In a separate bowl, beat egg and olive oil until well mixed. Add to dry ingredients and mix with hands until dry ingredients are well incorporated.
- Blend nuts, ginger and chocolate chips (if using) into the cookie mixture using a kneading motion. The dough will be very dense but will lighten up while baking.
- Top a cookie sheet with parchment paper, or spray with non-stick spray. Form a rounded tablespoon of dough into a large ball then flatten slightly to a "hockey puck" shape. Place 3 across on the cookie sheet to allow for expansion
- Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until just starting to turn golden on edges.
- Cool completely before eating.
Oh my. Just what the sweet tooth wanted…
That sweet tooth can get you in trouble . But these aren’t too dangerous!
Anything with chunks of crystallized ginger gets my vote! These look wonderful, Inger!
Isn’t crystallized ginger a wonderful thing David! I have made some of my own in the past and think I may need to try it again.
Thanks, Inger, I bought the 5 minute oatmeal today.
I hope you enjoy these!
I’ve always been told that Ginger is really good for us, but this has led to an assumption that I can enjoy eating as many ginger cookies or ginger cake as I like :P. These cookies are a really good idea.
I have been eating a lot of ginger “for my health” too Jo!
Ginger cookies with or without choc chips, they do sound good to me and i think i will particularly like the one with carrot!
I was happy the carrot worked as a coconut substitute!
When a recipe calls for “oatmeal” it always confuses me. There are steel cut oats, 5 minute oatmeal and instant oatmeal. Which kind do you use?
I used the 5 minute rolled oats, but anything other than steel cut oats should work (though I wouldn’t recommend instant). Yup, I once bought 25 lbs of steel cut oats thinking I could use them in granola–not realizing they were basically oat chunks that cooked very differently! So I ending up serving a lot of steel cut oats for breakfast that year! Thanks for asking; I have updated the recipe.