Triple Ginger Cookies (Ginger 3 Ways & Gluten-Free Option)
Originally published December 2014. Updated September 2026.
“C is for cookie, that’s good enough for me…” There’s something about these Triple Ginger Cookies that always makes me sing the Cookie Monster song. I’m not really sure why, but click here to listen as you eat them.
I’ve made these ginger cookies for years cause they’re one of all-time favorites. The hubby loves them with his coffee and I adore dipping them in my chai latte. It’s all the spicy ginger. I managed to not only put ground ginger in the dough, but these fresh grated ginger and chunks of dried ginger folded in into the dry ingredients. Unsweetened ginger. Not that sweetened crystallized stuff.
Trust me and skip the candied stuff cause that isn’t ‘ginger’. It’s more like a candy. And you’ll miss out on the pure, slightly sharp ginger bursts that pairs so well with the bitter molasses and the other spices. If you like ginger, you’ll love these Triple Ginger Cookies.
Why Margarine, Not Butter
It’s rare I recommend swapping out butter from a cookie recipe. But this is one of them. I’ve tried them both ways. Margarine is not a suggestion in this recipe. Using butter will give you a hard, crispy cookie that isn’t really good. But with the margarine you get a soft, perfectly chewy cookie that is more like eating a slightly cake-ie brownie.
Earth Balance is my go-to, but use your favorite plant-based spread. I like the one with olive oil in it cause the olive oil pairs well with the ginger and chocolate in the recipe. But the plain one works just as well. Your choice. Just don’t skip it.
Oil is not a substitute in these cookies either. It makes them to liquid-y for baking out. And you definitely couldn’t roll them in the sugar. If you only have oil, try these Italian Wine Cookies (Ciambelline al Vino). They have a surprise lemon taste when served with wine.
The Ginger, Three Ways in these Triple Ginger Cookies
Ground ginger is the backbone. It gives the dough a warmth that other spices won’t give you. But in my opinion, ground ginger alone is a bit one-note. Which is why I layered on the other two forms of ginger to get the zingy flavors.
Fresh grated ginger is stirred into the wet ingredients, right alongside the egg, orange juice, and molasses. It brightens the whole recipe, something you can’t get with powdered ginger.
The dried ginger chunks are chewy and a burst of extra zingy ginger flavor. A surprise in every bite with one. Seriously get the unsweetened ones, not the sugared ones. If you can’t find the plain dried ginger and have to use the sweetened kind, reduce the amount of sugar you put into the cookies. Your cookie will lack some of the ginger zing though.
An Egg-Free, Dairy-Free Variation
The hubby needed a vegan cookie for a Christmas fair one year. So we tried adding pumpkin puree in the place of the egg. It worked. With about a quarter of a cup, your cookies will be egg- and dairy-free without losing the soft, chewy texture that makes this cookie so freaking good. You genuinely cannot tell there’s no egg in the recipe cause the cookie rises the same. Nor can you taste the pumpkin.
Sweet potato puree works the same way, if it’s what you have. Both purees add moisture and a bit of binding power to the dough (the same as it does in my Black Bean Burgers).
I haven’t recalculated the full nutrition panel for this variation but it does change the numbers slightly. Less protein.
Getting the Texture Right
Besides using margarine, don’t skip the chilling step. I know sometimes we get rushed for time, but this is one cookie that requires chilling to be able to roll them in the sugar. An hour in the fridge lets the margarine firm up, and keeps the cookies from spreading too thin in the oven.
If you’re short on time, place the dough in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes. Then roll the chilled dough into tablespoon-sized balls (or use a cookie dough scoop), then roll them in the raw sugar. It’s the granulated sugar that gives the cookie the classic sparkly, slightly crackled top.
(Want chocolate instead of ginger, try my Dark Chocolate Orange Crinkle Cookies.
Carefully watch the bake time. You’re aiming for 8 to 10 minutes tops with the edges just barely golden brown. Otherwise, they get really solid and can taste burned. Pull them a minute early if you’re unsure. Check and slide them back in until you know how many minutes is perfect based on your oven. Cool on cooling racks so they don’t sweat and get soggy.
Now I want to know… are you Team Butter or Team Margarine when it comes to your cookies? Or if you’ve ever tried a pumpkin or sweet potato swap for an egg before, could anyone actually taste it? Let me know in the comments. And if you have questions, drop them there as well.
Recommended Ingredients & Tools for Triple Ginger Cookies
A few things worth being specific about for this one.
Ingredients
- Earth Balance Buttery Spread — This is the brand of margarine I actually use in these cookies. But your favorite margarine or plant based spread will work keeping them nice and soft. Butter on the other hand isn’t recommended since it makes the texture change – not in a good way.
- Unsweetened Dried Ginger — You could use the sugar-coated dried ginger, but I highly recommend using unsweetened dried ginger. It tastes so much better. The real ginger flavor comes through.
- Blackstrap-Free Robust Molasses — I skip the blackstrap molasses on this recipe (but use it in my chocolate gingerbread cookies), because it’s too bitter. Instead, use a good organic flavored molasses.
Tools
- Microplane Grater — Fresh ginger can be a pain to grate because of the stringy fibers. Try freezing your ginger first then grating.
- Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer — I recommend using a stand mixer if you have one for getting the margarine and sugar creamed together properly. If you don’t have one a hand mixer will work.
- Cookie Scoop, 1 Tablespoon Size — Use a cookie scoop to make your cookies the same size and you’ll know what your calorie count is across the whole batch.
- Wire Cooling Racks — Cooling your cookies properly is necessary cause you don’t want them to sweat. They stick together and get soggy. Use the cooling racks.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Triple Ginger Cookies
- Can I use butter instead of margarine? You can, but I don’t recommend it. The texture is noticeably different, not in a good way. They turn hard and crispy, rather than brownie-like, soft and chewy.
- Where do I find unsweetened dried ginger? If you can’t find them in your regular grocery store, usually near the dried fruit or baking aisle, try ordering them from Amazon. You could substitute with the sweetened crystallized ginger but make sure you adjust the sugar in the cookie down a bit or they’ll be over sweet.
- Can I make these egg-free? YES. We make them that way quite often using a 1/4 cup of pumpkin or sweet potato puree. Either is fine and don’t affect the flavor of the cookie. No egg equals a vegan cookie.
- Do these work with gluten-free flour? Yep. I swap in Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 gluten-free flour all the time. The recipe uses the same amount of flour either way.
- Why do I need to chill the dough? Because it’s the only way you can roll the cookies in the sugar and they don’t spread all over the pan. It also affects the texture.
- Can I freeze the dough or baked cookies? Absolutely. Both freeze well. To freeze as dough – make the balls, roll in sugar, and slightly flatten. Put on a parchment lined plate and freeze. Then transfer to a freezer bag. Place frozen dough balls on the cookie sheet and bake straight from the freezer, add a minute or two to the bake time. To freeze baked cookies, cool completely and freeze in an airtight container for up to a month.
Triple Ginger Cookies (Ginger 3 Ways & Gluten-Free Option)
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour or use gluten-free flour
- 2 tsp. ground ginger
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp. ground cloves
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¾ cup margarine, room temp. Earthbalance and canola spreads work well too
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 cup granulated sugar + more for rolling
- 1 large egg (or 1/4 cup pumpkin puree or sweet potato puree for an egg-free version)
- 1 Tbsp. orange juice
- ⅓ cup molasses
- ⅔ cup unsweetened dried ginger chunks
Instructions
- Sift together the flour, ground ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Using a mixer, cream together the margarine and sugar until fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Beat in the egg (or pumpkin or sweet potato puree), orange juice, molasses, and fresh grated ginger.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, mixing until just combined.
- Fold in the diced dried ginger by hand.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least an hour or longer.
- Preheat oven to 350° F (175 C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Shape the chilled dough into 1-tablespoon-sized balls and roll each one in raw sugar.
- Place the balls onto the cookie sheets, flattening slightly.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are slightly golden brown.
- Remove and allow cookies to cool for 2 to 3 minutes on sheets before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Calories: ~155
- Total Fat: ~6g
- Saturated Fat: ~1.5g
- Carbohydrates: ~24g
- Sugar: ~13g
- Fiber: ~0.5g
- Protein: ~1.5g
- Sodium: ~85mg
- Calories: ~153
- Total Fat: ~5.8g
- Saturated Fat: ~1.5g
- Carbohydrates: ~24g
- Sugar: ~13g
- Fiber: ~0.5g
- Protein: ~1.3g
- Sodium: ~85mg