I have to hand it to my mum. She is a woman of great resilience and patience. Growing up, I was known to playfully terrorize my mum on a regular basis. While I occasionally jumped out from around corners with a loud “Boo!” or tickled the back of her neck with my finger, my favorite prank involved a rubber lizard…in her bed…when she least expected it. She always delighted me with a loud scream and a 10-foot leap out of bed, but would never get mad at me. She always laughed…always. As I said, resilience and patience are some of her strengths, along with enough willpower to stop her from strangling her only child.
My mum was not even immune to my teasing around the holidays. She is a stickler for honoring the holidays only once the calendar flips to December first, a tradition which I now carry on in my own home. She insisted that Christmas carols were not to be sung before December though, as playful as I was (I prefer that description to “bratty”), I would sing or hum a few bars of my favorite Christmas tunes before the holidays hit, which was always met with a stern look and gentle reprimand. Every year on the morning of December first, I would wake her up with a rousing rendition of Jingle Bells or Winter Wonderland. To this day, I call her every year to serenade her with the first carol of the season. I think it is something we both look forward to as a way to honor the season and probably something she prefers over rubber lizards.
December is always a time to pull the spices out of the cupboards and get serious about baking holiday cookies, fudge, and candy. Some of our favorites are Chocolate & Peppermint Bark Cookies, Louisiana Pecan & Butterscotch Balls, and Pine Nut, Caramel & Sea Salt Shortbread Bars. The cookies I am posting today are rich with two kinds of chocolate, ground ginger and nutmeg, and hazelnuts. They are perfect treats to bring to a cookie swap, but be sure to save some for yourselves.
Head to my giveaway blog for information on a fun holiday cookie swap giveaway by McCormick Spices.
The recipe:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and set the oven racks at the lowest and middle settings.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes.
Beat in eggs, one at a time, until combined.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, unsweetened cocoa, ground ginger, freshly ground nutmeg, baking soda, and salt.
Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the flour mixture until just combined.
Stir in coarsely chopped white chocolate and chopped hazelnuts.
Using 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie, drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, about 3 inches apart.
Bake until the cookies are set around the edges and still slightly soft in the middle, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking.
Other chocolate cookies:
Cookin’ Canuck’s Chocolate & Peppermint Bark Cookies
Cookin’ Canuck’s Triple Chocolate Mint Cookies
Brown Eyed Baker’s Chocolate-Pistachio Biscotti
Picky Palate’s Oreo Truffle Surprise Cookies
Barbara Bakes’ Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies
Chocolate Ginger Cookies with White Chocolate & Hazelnuts
1 cup (16 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup (packed) brown sugar
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/4 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
4 oz. white chocolate, roughly chopped
1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and set the oven racks at the lowest and middle settings.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes.
Beat in eggs, one at a time, until combined.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, unsweetened cocoa, ground ginger, freshly ground nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the flour mixture until just combined.
Stir in coarsely chopped white chocolate and chopped hazelnuts.
Using 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie, drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, about 3 inches apart. Bake until the cookies are set around the edges and still slightly soft in the middle, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking.
Makes approximately 40 cookies.
Head to my giveaway blog for information on a fun holiday cookie swap giveaway by McCormick Spices.
Joelen says
Looks fantastic Dara!! The combo of chocolate and ginger is one I have yet to play with… so I'll have to try this recipe out!
Kay Heritage says
I love ginger in desserts! Wonderful looking recipe, Dara.
Pegasuslegend says
The most wonderful time of the year is trying new cookie recipes for Christmas these looks super good!
ThermomixBlogger Helene says
I'm a ginger-lover and this looks too good to resist. I can't wait to try this recipe… in the Thermomix, of course!
Daydreamer Desserts says
Can't wait to try these! And, from one "bratty" only child to another I'm sure we have both experienced some form of *pay-back* with our own children. 😉
Kalyn says
Wow, the cookies look amazing. (I am covering my eyes.)
Nancy says
Dara,
I love the plate that you have the cookies on – I have several that are similar and haven't used them before in my food photography but now I definitely think I will!!
I just started playing with adding spices to chocolate and was amazed at how good they are together so will definitely have to try these cookies!!
What a wonderful tradition to have with your Mum!!!
warmvanillasugar says
These cookies look perfect. I love chocolate and ginger together!
When Pigs Fly says
Just found your site. Love it! Thanks for sharing all of these great recipes. Your photos are terrific too.
Pretend Chef says
These cookies look so delicious! I would love to try these. Drool worthy! Happy Holidays and enjoy the music!
a says
These look fabulous!! Great combination!
Tracy says
Those look delish.
Love the story about you and your mom.
I was the one that did things like that to my mom as well. Now its payback, because my daughters do it to me 😉
Found you through Leslee frome Canadian in Montanna.
I am a Canadian thats still living in Canada, teehee.
A Canadian Foodie says
Now this is my kind of cookie – I made two similar ones in the fall (Breakfast cookie and dark chocolate with sour cherries) This one will be next. I love having a big old hunk of decadent comfort in my kitchen jar for just the right moment (and I seem to have that need almost once a day!!!)
🙂
Valerie
(Gorgeous Pics)
Tickled Red says
I need two dozen of these for my secret stash please. My Goodness!
wenderly says
Loved the stories about your mum! In our family it's a rubber snake that is passed around…as a matter of fact, it's now *my* turn to pass it on! Thanks for the reminder! And the cookies sound divine. Faaalalalala la la la la
Lora says
these look like wonderful cookies packed with flavor. yum.
chris says
These look perfectly irresistible. Was wanted to use my hazelnuts…and this looks like the opportunity I needed. Thx!
Carolyn says
Love that you spell "mum" with a u, I do too (another expat Canuck here, living in Boston). The cookies look good too, but I just had to comment on the mum!
Sammy says
I can't wait to make them!
Sue says
These cookies sound amazing, and so does you mom:)
[email protected] says
These cookies have everything! Chocolate, nuts, and spicy flavor too! Yum!
Belinda @zomppa says
Traditions are funny. Some people relish them, others rebel against them. All could agree that these are fantastic.
bunkycooks says
These cookies sound so good with all of the spices! My 21 yr. old just informed me on Thanksgiving that he knew he was a terrible kid when he was younger. It's always a good thing to fess up! It's amazing we all lived through the torture!
Becky at VintageMixer says
These sound amazing Dara! Christmas cookies should be decadent, I think, and these are just perfect.
sara @ CaffeIna says
Hazelnut and white chocolate…omg….I don't know what I could do for these cookies!
Wilde in the Kitchen says
I love this time of year, so many new cookies recipes! Yours look super delicious!
Evan @swEEts says
I'm a sucker for Christmas traditions 🙂 These cookies looks wonderful.. just the write flavors for the holiday season!
Marly says
Looks like a lovely recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Jamie says
You are too funny and must've been some brat! But a sweet one! But I love how the holidays can bring out such memories and stir up such emotions. Fabulous cookies for any time.
penny aka jeroxie says
sounds awesome. love the addition of ginger
Kevin says
Those cookies look so good! I like the huge chunks of chocolate.
madge @ vegetariancasserolequeen says
Great cookies! Great story! I am also strict about not celebrating Christmas until December 1st. I'm glad I'm not the only one (although it often feels that way!)
Thanks for sharing…