Ginger Desserts

Ginger is one of those tastes that you either love or hate. I personally love it. When you add ginger and desserts for yummy gingery desserts, it's bound to be good. Check out the Gingerbread Nice Cream, the Gingerbread with Lemon Sauce, or any of the other wonderfully gingery desserts in today's post. Enjoy!

GINGER MOLASSES COOKIES

This yummy recipe is from Jessie Sheehan at The Spruce Eats. Jessie wrote, "Our chewy ginger molasses cookies are a true holiday cookie dream. Take a bite of chewy centers, crispy edges, and the best fall spices like ginger, cinnamon, and a dash of white pepper for a little kick. Tossed in granulated sugar before baking, the resulting cookie is a sparkly treat with a wonderful bite. These cookies travel well when packaged carefully and are a perfect addition to any dessert table after the Thanksgiving or Christmas meal. They also make a great everyday dessert when served on their own or with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel.

"Making the cookies does not require a stand or hand mixer and they freeze beautifully, either pre- or post-bake, making them a fabulous choice if you like to plan and make ahead."

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 12 minutes; Chilling the Dough: 80 minutes; Total Time: 117 minutes; Servings: 18 servings; Yield: 36 cookies

To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/ginger-molasses-cookies-5086423.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon white pepper, optional

6 ounces (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted

1 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup molasses

Granulated sugar, for rolling

Directions

Gather the ingredients.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and white pepper, if using.

In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugar until smooth.

Add the egg and yolk one at a time, whisking after each addition.

Add the vanilla and molasses and whisk until smooth.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently fold with a flexible spatula to combine. Place the dough in the refrigerator until it has a scoopable texture, or about 20 to 30 minutes.

Scoop the dough into 1-1/2 tablespoon balls using a small ice cream scoop or measuring spoons.

Roll each ball in granulated sugar and place on the prepared cookie sheets, about 12 balls per sheet. Place the sheets in the freezer to firm up for about 30 minutes to an hour. This will prevent the cookies from spreading when baked.

Roll the cookie balls in granulated sugar again for extra sparkle. Bake for about 12 minutes until the tops are cracked and the cookies are slightly puffy. Once removed from the oven, flatten each cookie lightly with a spatula. Serve warm or cold.

For Great Results

Follow our expert advice to make unforgettable ginger cookies:

Bake for 12 minutes for a chewier cookie. For a crispier cookie, bake for 14 minutes.

Refrigerate the dough overnight and up to 72 hours for extra-chewy cookies.

Re-sugar the baked cookies by dipping each side in a shallow bowl of granulated sugar while still warm for even more sparkle.

Keep in an airtight container on the counter for three days or freeze in a resealable plastic bag for up to a month.

Other Flavors and Additions

For a different flavor profile, here are some of our favorite variations:

Add cayenne pepper instead of white pepper for a different kind of heat.

Add 3/4 cup chocolate chips or chunks for a delicious ginger chocolate cookie.

Add 3/4 cup macadamia nuts, almonds, or cashews for a nutty flavor and extra texture. If needed, use sunflower seeds for a cookie that's free of tree nuts.

Use turbinado sugar, rather than granulated, for even more sparkle and crunch.

Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, rather than just granulated, for an even spicier finish.

Scoop the cookies with a 1/4-cup ice cream scoop, rather than one sized at 1-1/2 tablespoons, and make jumbo ginger molasses cookies.

GINGER PUMPKIN PIE

Kathy Kingsley also wrote for The Spruce Eats. She wrote, “Flavored with fresh ginger and honey, this pumpkin pie is sure to become one of your go-to holiday recipes.” Prep Time: 35 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes; Total Time: 85 minutes; Yield: Serves 8

As with the last recipe, the old link for this no longer works, but I wanted to give credit to who came up with it.

Ingredients

Pastry

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

3 tablespoons ice water

Pumpkin Filling

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 16-ounce can solid-pack pumpkin

1 12-ounce can evaporated milk

1/3 cup honey

1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger

1 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice

1/4 teaspoon salt

Honey Whipped Cream

3/4 cup heavy or whipping cream, chilled

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Make the pastry dough: Combine the flour, sugar, vegetable shortening, and butter in a food processor and pulse on/off until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. With the motor running, add the ice water through the feed tube, and process just until the dough leaves the sides of the bowl and forms a ball.

Press the dough into a ball, then flatten it into a disc, about 1-inch thick.

On a lightly floured surface using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough out into a 12-inch circle. Line a 9-inch pie pan with the dough. Turn he edges under, and crimp or flute the crust. Set the pie shell on a rimmed baking sheet.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until blended. Brush about teaspoon of the egg around the edge of the crust.

Add the pumpkin, milk, honey, sugar, ginger, pumpkin pie spice and salt to the eggs, and mix until well blended. Pour the filling into the pie crust.

Bake the pie for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the filling is set. If the edges become too dark during baking, carefully cover them with foil strips (see Recipe Notes). Set the pie on a wire rack to cool. If not serving right away, cover and chill.

When ready to serve, make the honey whipped cream. Put the cream into a medium bowl. Add the honey and vanilla and beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form when the beaters are lifted. Serve the pie topped with the whipped cream.

Recipe Notes

• To make a foil collar to prevent edges of pie from browning too much, fold a 12-inch-long piece of foil into a strip with 3-inch-high sides. Stand the strip on the oven rack around the pie dish. Secure the overhang with a paper clip. The collar doesn't have to touch or cover the crust to protect it.



GINGERBREAD WITH LEMON SAUCE

This is from Kristen Oak of Pocatello, Idaho, and posted on Taste of Home. Kristen wrote, "I asked my mother-in-law for this recipe once I learned it's my husband's favorite. Now I bake it whenever he needs an extra-special treat. Spice cake topped with lemony sauce makes us both smile."

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Bake Time: 35 minutes + cooling; Makes 20 servings

To view t his online, go to https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/contest-winning-gingerbread-with-lemon-sauce/.

Ingredients

1 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 cup molasses

2 large eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup hot water

Lemon Sauce:

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

Dash salt

Dash nutmeg

1 cup half-and-half cream

2 large egg yolks, beaten

2 tablespoons butter

3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Beat shortening, sugar, molasses and eggs until well blended. Combine next five ingredients; add to molasses mixture alternately with hot water.

Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, for lemon sauce, combine first five ingredients in a small saucepan until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat.

Stir a small amount of hot filling into egg yolks; return all to pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat. Gently stir in butter, lemon juice and zest, increasing juice if needed to thin sauce. Serve with warm cake. Refrigerate leftover sauce.

GINGERBREAD WHOOPIE PIES WITH TAHINI CREAM FILLING

This is from Anita Schecter in The Spruce Eats. She wrote, " Whoopie pies might be the state treat of Maine, but that doesn't mean they can't be enjoyed everywhere. Typically made with two soft, round mini chocolate cakes with a marshmallow cream center, the dessert lends itself to a whole host of delicious variations.

"It's common to find a pumpkin version in autumn, and a gingerbread one during the winter holidays. In addition, although less traditional, the marshmallow cream filling is sometimes substituted with a cream cheese frosting.

"Adding tahini to the cream is definitely not traditional, but it is greats an amazing taste that you should treat yourself to. The buttery marshmallow filling can be overly sweet due to the amount of powdered sugar needed to thicken it. The sesame paste tones down the sweetness a bit and brings in a wonderful nutty, sesame flavor. It's a great match to the gingerbread flavor and it's so good you may find yourself slathering it on everything."

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 12 minutes; Total Time: 37 minutes; Makes 10 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/gingerbread-whoopie-pies-4154741.

Ingredients

For the Gingerbread Whoopie Pies:

1 egg

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup molasses

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter (melted and slightly cooled)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon salt

For the Tahini Cream Filling:

4 ounce marshmallow fluff (homemade or store bought)

1 cup powdered confectioner's sugar

3 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted and cooled)

1 tablespoon milk

1 tablespoon sesame paste (tahini)

1 teaspoon vanilla

Pinch of sea salt

Directions

Gather the ingredients.

To make the gingerbread whoopie pies, pre-heat the oven to 350 F.

Add the egg and light brown sugar to a large bowl. Using a stand or hand mixer, beat until smooth and slightly lightened in color. Beat in the molasses, melted butter and vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, sift together the all purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg and salt.

Stir the dry ingredients into the wet batter.

Using a 1 ounce cookie scoop, scoop the batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a baking mat, and keep the scoops at least 2" apart because they will spread in the oven. You can use a couple of baking sheets or just work in batches, but you should end up with about 20 scoops.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool thoroughly before handling.

To make the tahini cream filling, whisk together the marshmallow fluff, powdered sugar, melted butter, milk, sesame paste, vanilla and sea salt until smooth. Let sit for a few minutes while the whoopie pies cool to let the filling set and thicken a bit. This will help the filling stay put when you spread it between the two pies.

To assemble the whoopie pies, place about a tablespoon of tahini cream in between the bottoms of two of the cookies (use more if you want them thicker) and gently sandwich together.

Enjoy!

GINGER-PEACH SORBET

This is from page 46 of the July/August 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times. The recipe states, “Fresh peaches, lightly cooked with a bit of sugar and fresh, spicy ginger, play double duty. Pulse the frozen cubes in the food processor with a splash of Prosecco and you have a light, flaky sorbet. Thaw the cubes, omit the prosecco, and use the mixture as a topper for ice cream or angel food cake.” Serves 6.

Ingredients:

6 very ripe medium peaches (3 lb.)

1/4 cup sugar

4-1/4-inch-thick coins fresh ginger

2 Tbs. lemon juice

2 tsp. grated lemon zest

6 Tbs. Prosecco or white wine

Directions:

Score X on bottom of each peach. Place in bowl, and cover with boiling water. Let stand 10 minutes. Drain, and rinse under cold water. Remove skins and pits, and chop.

Bring peaches, sugar, ginger, lemon juice, and lemon zest to a boil in saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 5 minutes, or until peaches are soft.

Remove ginger, transfer peach mixture to food processor, and blend until smooth. Cool.

Pour cooled sauce into 6 1/2-cup silicone molds or muffin pan cups. Press plastic wrap over surface of molds to seal out air. Freeze 4 hours, or until completely solid, then transfer to freezer bag to store.

To make sorbet: Pulse frozen cubes and Prosecco in food processor until smooth. Transfer to freezer-safe container, and freeze until ready to serve.

nutritional information Per 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 121; Protein: 2 g; Total Fat: less than 1 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 28 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: less than 1 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 25 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

GINGERBREAD NICE CREAM

This is from Weight Watchers, and begins, "Boosted with molasses, vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger, this frozen banana treat embodies the essence of gingerbread. Go easy on the ginger; any more than we call for could make the nice cream bitter. Serve right away, when the mixture is smooth, creamy, and the texture of soft serve. If you’d rather firm it up for more defined scoops, transfer the mixture to a loaf pan or other container and freeze for a couple of hours."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes; Serves: 4; Serving size: 3/4 cup nice cream and 1 crumbled cookie; Difficulty: Easy; 3 points

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

4 large Bananas

2 Tbsp Molasses

1 tsp Vanilla extract

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

3/8 tsp ground ginger

4 crumbled gingersnaps

Directions

Peel bananas; cut into slices and place in a zip-top plastic freezer bag. Seal and freeze until frozen sold, at least 3 hours.

Place frozen bananas in a food processor; process on high until very finely chopped, about 2 minutes. Drizzle with molasses and vanilla, and sprinkle with cinnamon and ginger. Process on high until completely smooth, 2 to 3 more minutes; stop to scrape sides of bowl occasionally.

Divide nice cream among 4 bowls; top with crumbled gingersnaps.

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