Soft Gingerbread Cookies with Chocolate are perfect for serving at holiday parties or giving away as gifts! They’re just the right balance of soft and chewy.
Whisk together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl or in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and 1 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, then stir in the orange juice and molasses by hand. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients.
Place dough in refrigerator for at least one hour, or in the freezer for 15-30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line one large or two standard sized baking sheets with parchment paper (note: these cookies will spread, so you may want to bake in batches if necessary).
Place the remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl. Measure out the dough using a tablespoon-sized cookie scoop, and roll them into a ball using clean hands (you may want to use kitchen gloves to avoid sticky hands). Roll the dough in the sugar, then place on the prepared baking sheet around 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly with the palm of your bands.
Bake for 9 to 10 minutes (I recommend chilling the dough for 10-15 minutes first, but you can skip this step if you’re in a hurry). The cookies will spread out a bit more if they go straight into the oven).
The cookies will be very soft when you remove them from the oven. Don't be tempted to keep baking them! Allow them to cool for 5-7 minutes to firm up, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
In a microwave safe bowl, heat 1 cup of the chocolate and 1 tablespoon of the shortening together in 15 second intervals, stirring each time, until melted and thin. Dip each cookie into the chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Place on the wire rack or parchment until the chocolate sets. Repeat with the remaining chocolate as needed. To speed up this process, you can place the cookies into the refrigerator.
Notes
Notes: Water can be substituted for the orange juice. However, the orange enhances the flavor of the ginger. The black pepper, while optional, adds a nice kick. You could even go up to 1/4 teaspoon if using it.Recipe adapted from All Recipes.