Ginger Cookies were not something I planned to make regularly. My nephew had come to stay for a week, and somewhere around day three he mentioned, very casually, that he had tried a soft ginger cookie at a bakery and had not stopped thinking about it since. That was enough. I went through three versions before I landed on this one, and what kept me coming back to it was the molasses.
That deep, slightly bitter sweetness is what sets these apart from a plain spiced biscuit. I also add black bean puree to the dough, which sounds odd on paper but gives the cookies a softness that stays put even after two days in a tin. My nephew ate six in one sitting and asked for the recipe to take home.
About the Recipe
Most of the ingredients here are straightforward pantry items. Wheat flour and maida are easy to find, the spices are standard, and canned pumpkin puree works well if you do not want to roast a whole pumpkin from scratch. The black beans need a quick rinse and a blitz in the blender, which takes about five minutes. From mixing bowl to oven, the whole process runs to about 30 minutes, not counting the pumpkin prep. I usually make these on a Sunday when I have a little extra time and want something to last through the week.
Why you will love this recipe
One batch makes enough cookies to last several days, and they actually improve slightly by day two once the spices settle into the dough. The combination of allspice, cinnamon, and ground ginger is assertive without being sharp, and the molasses gives a background warmth that straight sugar cannot. Because there is no butter to cream, the mixing is simple and quick.
The pumpkin and black bean puree both add moisture that keeps the cookies soft at room temperature, so you are not racing to finish them before they dry out. I often make these when I know I need something to carry to a gathering or pack into a lunchbox across several days.
Cooking Tips
The dough will be softer than a typical cookie dough, which sometimes worries first-time bakers into adding extra flour. Do not. Extra flour will make the cookies dense and dry rather than soft. Keep the balls small, about the size of a large marble, so they bake through evenly in ten minutes.
If the dough feels too sticky to roll, chill it in the refrigerator for fifteen minutes. One other thing — do not skip greasing the baking sheet. These cookies have no butter and they will stick to an ungreased surface.
Top Tips
- Use canned black beans if you have them. Rinse well and blend until completely smooth before adding to the dough, because any chunks will make the texture uneven.
- The pumpkin puree should be at room temperature before mixing. Cold puree straight from the refrigerator can make the dough feel stiff and harder to combine.
- Allspice is not the same as a mixed spice blend — it is a single spice with notes of clove, nutmeg, and pepper. Do not substitute a curry powder or mixed masala.
- Pull the cookies out at exactly ten minutes even if they look slightly underdone. They firm up as they cool on the wire rack, and overbaking dries them out quickly.
- These freeze well. Layer cooled cookies between sheets of parchment in an airtight container and freeze for up to one month.
Serving and Storing Suggestions
This recipe makes about 24 to 28 cookies depending on the size of your dough balls. Total prep time is about 20 to 25 minutes, plus 10 minutes baking time. Serve them at room temperature with chai or a plain glass of milk. Store in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to four days. If you live somewhere humid, keep the tin in a cool spot or the cookies will soften further and lose their shape by day three.
Similar Recipes
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Molasses Spice Cookies
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Cinnamon Snickerdoodles
- Spiced Whole Wheat Banana Cookies
Nutrient Benefits
These cookies carry more nutritional weight than a standard butter biscuit. Black beans add protein and fibre to what is otherwise a sweet bake, and wheat flour brings more to the dough than plain maida alone would. Pumpkin puree contributes beta-carotene and a small amount of potassium. Sunflower oil is used in place of butter, which reduces saturated fat. None of this makes these a health food, but the swap of beans and puree for some of the fat and refined flour means each cookie is doing a little more than it looks like it is.
Ginger Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup Wheat Flour
- 1 1/4 cups Maida
- 4 tsp Allspice Powder
- 4 tsp Ginger (ground)
- 2 tsp Cinnamon (powdered)
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 cup Sugar (granulated)
- 3/4 cup Sunflower Oil
- 1/2 cup Pumpkin Puree (available in most supermarkets)
- 1 Egg (large)
- 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1/3 cup Molasses
- 1 cup Black Beans (rinsed and pureed)
To make homemade Pumpkin Puree:
- 1 Pumpkin
Instructions
- To make the pumpkin puree at home, cut the top of the pumpkin.
- Cut the pumpkin into 2 and scrape out the seeds and membranes.
- Cut the pumpkin into large pieces and keep in a baking tray.
- Bake for about 45 minutes in a 350F/175C oven or until pumpkin is soft.
- Remove the skin and scoop out the flesh.
- Transfer to a blender and blend till smooth.
- Optionally you can add 2 to 3 tblsp of water while blending.
- To make the ginger cookies, mix the maida and wheat flour in a bowl.
- Add salt, baking soda and cinnamon powder.
- Beat the sugar, oil, pumpkin puree, egg and vanilla in an another bowl until smooth and fluffy.
- Add the molasses and black beans.
- Stir well and add the flour mixture.
- Mix well to form a smooth soft dough.
- Form the dough into small balls and flatten them on a lightly greased baking sheet.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350F/175C for 10 minutes.
- Remove and cool on wire racks before serving.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I skip the black beans entirely?
A: You can, but the texture will change. The black bean puree adds moisture and density to the dough. Without it, the cookies will be a little lighter and may spread more during baking. If you leave them out, reduce the oil slightly by two tablespoons to compensate.
Q: My cookies came out flat and crispy instead of soft. What went wrong?
A: This usually happens when the dough balls are placed too far apart and the oven runs hot. Check your oven temperature with a thermometer if you have one. Also make sure you are not pressing the balls down too thin before baking. A light flatten is all they need — not completely flat.
Q: Can I use readymade canned pumpkin puree instead of making it at home?
A: Yes, fully. Canned pumpkin puree works perfectly here and is what I use when I am short on time. Make sure it is plain pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling, which already has sugar and spices added.
Q: I do not have molasses. What can I use instead?
A: Dark treacle is the closest substitute and works well in the same quantity. In a pinch, a mix of two tablespoons of dark brown sugar dissolved in one tablespoon of warm water can replace a small amount, but it will not give the same depth of flavour that molasses does.
Q: How do I know if the cookies are done if they still look soft at ten minutes?
A: That is normal. These cookies will look underdone when they come out of the oven because the pumpkin and bean puree keep the dough moist. The edges should look set and the tops should no longer look wet or shiny. Leave them on the baking sheet for five minutes before transferring to the wire rack, and they will firm up as they cool.
