Chewy Chocolate-Gingerbread Cookies

This chocolate gingerbread cookie has a place in Martha Stewart test kitchen history. It's the hands-down favorite of our food editors and readers alike, even more than snappy gingerbread cutouts or intricately decorated sugar cookies. They are a must-make for cookie swaps and holiday gifting—we can’t imagine the festive season without them. Many things make these cookies so irresistible. Maybe it’s the winning combination of fresh and ground ginger; or the chewy texture provided by molasses; or perhaps it’s the chunks of melty semisweet chocolate scattered throughout the dough. All of these components combine to create what is, in our humble opinion, the perfect holiday cookie.

Why These Cookies Are So Special

These chewy treats really are the ideal holiday cookie. There’s no specialty items or equipment used–just some classic ingredients elevated to new heights. 

• Perfect texture: The more moisture in your dough, the chewier the cookies will be. In this recipe, that moisture comes from butter, dark brown sugar, and molasses. Brown sugar containers more moisture than granulated, making it the perfect choice for these cookies. 
• Spice ratio: A nice balance of spices is crucial when you’re making cookies that rely heavily on spices for flavor. Not to brag, but we’re pretty sure we nailed it with this recipe. We use a combination of ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. 
• Two kinds of ginger: In addition to the dried ground spice, a piece of fresh ginger is peeled and grated into the dough as well. We love to use both types of ginger because they each provide a slightly different flavor. The ground ginger is complementary to the other warming spices, while the fresh really holds its own through the baking process. 
• Just enough chocolate: The dry ingredients contain just a touch of cocoa powder. The rest of the chocolate flavor comes from chopped semisweet chocolate. Although it’s a sophisticated cookie, it’s chocolatey enough that kids are bound to get on board. 
• Double the molasses flavor: A ginger cookie wouldn’t be the same without molasses, and you get that flavor from molasses itself as well as from dark brown sugar. Brown sugar is just granulated sugar with molasses added, and dark brown sugar has a larger proportion of molasses than light-brown sugar. 
• Crackly sugar crust: While these cookies would be delicious if they were just scooped and baked, we like to take that extra step and roll them in granulated sugar first. As the dough spreads, the sugar forms a crust around the cookies, adding extra crunch. Not to mention, it makes them sparkle.

3 Tips for Chewy Cookies

In additoin to ingredients, technique can also contribute to the chewy texture of these cookies. 

1. Cream the butter thoroughly: This recipe starts by infusing the freshly grated ginger into the butter by creaming the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. The goal here is to get the butter light and airy before adding in the brown sugar and molasses. 
2. Chill the dough: Starting with firm dough balls will do a few things. It will prevent the cookies from spreading too quickly. In turn, this will allow the cookies to retain their soft, chewy texture. Chilling the dough also allows the flavors a chance to settle and mingle, so your cookies will taste even better. Think of it as marinating, but for baked goods. 
3. Don’t over-bake: You want to pull the cookies as soon as you see that the surfaces are beginning to crack and the edges are just set.