Ginger cookies are warm and crisp cookies that go well with cold milk. They aid digestion and are the perfect finish after a heavy meal.
My favorite cookies are Ginger Crisps manufactured by Peak Freans™. The company was bought out by Kraft in Canada and is now owned by their successors. I don’t know if these cookies are still being made. But I’ve been trying to make a taste alike ginger cookie for many years. These were thin and crispy, like a ginger snap, but without the strong, over powering molasses after taste.
This cookie is very close to that childhood treat. While it’s not thin and lacks the pretty ruffled edge and uniformity of a mass produced biscuit, it is healthier and full of warm ginger taste, with just a hint of maple flavour. And it has no strong, overpowering molasses after taste. It is also a refrigerator cookie and is a good shipper, for gift giving.
What’s a refrigerator cookie?
Refrigerator cookies are make ahead cookies, sometimes called biscuits in Canada. You mix the batter, form it into a log, wrap it tightly, and put it in the fridge. It will keep for up to a week in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.
When you are ready to bake them, you simply preheat your oven, slice your cookies as thinly as possible, and bake on a greased baking sheet. You can slice off just enough for a few nibbles or bake the entire batch at once. If you plan to ship these, you’ll want to bake the whole batch. It makes 5 dozen single biscuits or 2 1/2 dozen cream sandwhiches.
Made with organic sugar, organic maple sugar — these are a yummy winter treat. I made some with lemon cream filling and some with maple cream filling. Both are exceptional.
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A refrigerator cookie that’s perfect for shipping. Crispy, and flaky with a hint of lemon and maple flavours and warming ginger makes this cookie, perfect after a Thanksgiving feast.
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, creamed
- 1 1/2 cups of organic brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 tbsp. lemon peel/zest
- ½ cup of maple sugar
- 1 tbsp. ginger spice powder
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 2 1/2 cups flour, unbleached all-purpose
- 1 tsp baking powder
Cream filling
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- ¼ cup maple sugar
- ½ to 1 cup icing sugar
- ½ tsp. India Tree Nature’s Colours yellow food colouring
- ¼ tsp. India Tree Nature’s Colours red food colouring
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs, beating well.
- Add lemon peel, ginger, cinnamon, flour, and baking powder.
- Beat only until all flour is incorporated.
- Form into logs.
- Wrap logs in wax paper or parchment paper.
- Chill over night or up to a week in the refrigerator or 3 months in the freezer. Thaw in refrigerator before slicing.
When you are ready to bake them
- Preheat oven to 375*F
- Cut cookies from logs as thinly as possible.
- Place 1 inch apart on baking sheet.
- Bake at 375*F for 12 minutes. Allow cookies to remain on baking sheet for 2 or 3 minutes to finish baking outside of oven.
- Move to cooling rack.
- Allow baking sheet to cool before refilling with new cookies to bake.
- Cool baked cookies completely on wire rack before storage.
Creamed Filling
- Blend butter and maple sugar together until smooth.
- Mix in icing sugar.
- Add food colouring.
- Blend until smooth. Makes enough icing for 2 dozen cookies.
- Place 1 tsp of icing in the centre of each cookie.
- Spread with a spatula, moving icing in a circular motion.
- Cap with second cookie.
Notes
- These are great as single ginger crisp biscuits or paired as a cookie with a creamy centre. Make some of each.
You can fill these cookies with maple cream filling or do some with lemon cream filling, too, like I did.
More Ginger Cookies to Try
Pumpkin Spice Energy Balls with Maca
Debra Jacobs says
February 16, 2019 at 10:43 amGoodness two cups of sugar that a lot of sugar!
GramMe says
October 25, 2014 at 1:35 amWhere’s the ginger? The title says “Ginger maple cream”? They sound good anyway but no ginger?
Joybilee Farm says
October 25, 2014 at 5:35 amThanks for noticing. I fixed it. Yes, there is 1 tbsp. of ginger in these plus 1 tsp. of cinnamon. I think you are the only one who actually read the recipe. Thanks for letting me know I’d forgotten the most important ingredient.
tessa says
October 18, 2014 at 12:09 pmWhat an awesome combination! I think I just drooled…no joke.
Pure Grace Farms says
October 17, 2014 at 4:07 amFond memories from childhood are so precious. Thrilled for you that you were able to re-create this special cookie. I love the combination of ginger and maple. They look delicious.
Blessings,
Shari
Wendy says
October 16, 2014 at 4:43 pmThe combination of maple and ginger sounds wonderful, Chris! Two of my favorite cookie flavors. 🙂 I love the make-ahead flexibility of refrigerator cookies. Once those cookie dough logs are sitting in the fridge or freezer, you can just slice of what you need, when you need it! Of course, if they are maple-ginger I might need them all!