Coconut Ginger Cookies Recipe

Learn how to make the best homemade coconut ginger cookies with this easy baking recipe! Perfectly balanced with warm ginger, fragrant cinnamon, and tropical coconut, these chewy-crisp treats feature both fresh and crystallized ginger for incredible depth of flavor. Perfect for holiday cookie exchanges or year-round enjoyment!

Difficulty:

Beginner

Prep Time:

15 mins

Cook Time:

12 mins

Serves:

24 cookies

Ingredients

<ul class="ingredients-main-list"> <li class="ingredients-single-item">225g all-purpose flour</li> <li class="ingredients-single-item">1 tsp baking soda</li> <li class="ingredients-single-item">1/2 tsp salt</li> <li class="ingredients-single-item">2 tsp ground ginger</li> <li class="ingredients-single-item">1 tsp ground cinnamon</li> <li class="ingredients-single-item">1/4 tsp ground cloves</li> <li class="ingredients-single-item">115g unsalted butter, softened</li> <li class="ingredients-single-item">100g granulated sugar</li> <li class="ingredients-single-item">100g light brown sugar, packed</li> <li class="ingredients-single-item">1 large egg, room temperature</li> <li class="ingredients-single-item">1 tsp vanilla extract</li> <li class="ingredients-single-item">1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated</li> <li class="ingredients-single-item">75g desiccated coconut</li> <li class="ingredients-single-item">60g crystallized ginger, finely chopped</li> <li class="ingredients-single-item">2 tbsp raw sugar (for rolling)</li> </ul>

Equipment

<ul class="equipment-main-list"> <li class="equipment-single-item">Baking sheets</li> <li class="equipment-single-item">Parchment paper</li> <li class="equipment-single-item">Microplane or ginger grater</li> </ul>

Directions

<ol class="no-list-style"> <li class="MethodStepper"> <h4 class="step-title">Step 1</h4> Preheat your oven to 180°C and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. This preparation ensures your cookies will bake evenly and won't stick to the trays. </li> <li class="MethodStepper"> <h4 class="step-title">Step 2</h4> In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves until well combined. This ensures all the spices are evenly distributed throughout your dough, providing consistent flavor in every bite. </li> <li class="MethodStepper"> <h4 class="step-title">Step 3</h4> In a large bowl, cream the softened butter with both sugars using an electric mixer on medium speed for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. This extended beating incorporates air into the mixture, which helps create a tender texture in your finished cookies. </li> <li class="MethodStepper"> <h4 class="step-title">Step 4</h4> Add the egg, vanilla extract, and freshly grated ginger to the butter mixture, beating until fully incorporated. The fresh ginger adds a bright, zingy flavor that complements the warmth of the dried spices. </li> <li class="MethodStepper"> <h4 class="step-title">Step 5</h4> Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until combined. Overmixing at this stage can develop the gluten in the flour, resulting in tough cookies rather than tender ones. </li> <li class="MethodStepper"> <h4 class="step-title">Step 6</h4> Fold in the desiccated coconut and chopped crystallized ginger by hand using a spatula. The coconut adds a wonderful chewy texture, while the crystallized ginger provides pockets of intense sweet-spicy flavor throughout the cookies. </li> <li class="MethodStepper"> <h4 class="step-title">Step 7</h4> Place the raw sugar in a small bowl. Scoop the dough using a tablespoon measure or cookie scoop (about 25g per cookie), roll into balls, then coat each ball in the raw sugar. The sugar coating will give your cookies a lovely crackly, sparkly appearance as they bake. </li> <li class="MethodStepper"> <h4 class="step-title">Step 8</h4> Arrange the cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 5cm apart as they will spread during baking. If your kitchen is warm and the dough feels soft, chill the trays for 15 minutes before baking to prevent excessive spreading. </li> <li class="MethodStepper"> <h4 class="step-title">Step 9</h4> Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden but the centers still look slightly underdone. This is the secret to achieving that perfect chewy center with crisp edges! The cookies will continue to firm up as they cool. </li> <li class="MethodStepper"> <h4 class="step-title">Step 10</h4> Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will be quite soft when first removed from the oven but will achieve their perfect texture once fully cooled. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days, though the spice flavors actually improve after the first day! </li> </ol>

FAQs

Find answers to your most pressing questions about this delicious recipe right here.

What ingredients are used in Coconut Ginger Cookies?

These cookies combine all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, butter, granulated and brown sugars, egg, vanilla, fresh ginger, desiccated coconut, and crystallized ginger. They're rolled in raw sugar before baking for a sparkling finish.

How to cook Coconut Ginger Cookies at home?

Learn how to cook Coconut Ginger Cookies by mixing your dry ingredients, creaming butter with sugars, adding wet ingredients, then folding in coconut and crystallized ginger. Roll dough balls in raw sugar, then bake for 10-12 minutes at 180°C until edges are golden but centres remain slightly soft for that perfect chewy-crisp texture.

Can I substitute fresh ginger with more ground ginger in spiced cookies?

While you can substitute 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger with an additional 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger, you'll miss out on the bright, zingy flavour that fresh ginger provides. Fresh ginger adds moisture and a distinctive aromatic quality that dried spices alone cannot replicate.

How do you achieve the perfect chewy centre in ginger biscuits?

The secret to chewy centres is slightly underbaking the cookies. Remove them from the oven when edges are set but centres look underdone. The brown sugar and desiccated coconut also contribute to chewiness, while proper butter-sugar creaming creates the ideal structure for that perfect texture.

What's the best way to store homemade spiced cookies with coconut?

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. The flavours actually improve after the first day as the spices meld together. For longer storage, freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months, or freeze shaped dough balls for fresh-baked treats anytime.

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