White Chocolate Dipped Ginger Cookies (Soft & Chewy)

There are certain smells that just announce that Christmas has arrived. For some, it’s fresh pine needles. For me, it is the deep, rich aroma of molasses and ginger baking in a hot oven.

While I love a classic, snappy gingerbread man, my heart truly belongs to a soft, chewy ginger cookie. You know the kind—the ones that stay tender for days and have that perfect crinkled top sparkling with sugar.

But this year, I wanted to dress them up a little bit.

I decided to take my favorite soft ginger spice base and give it a half-dip in creamy white chocolate. And because I can never leave well enough alone, I added little holly decorations. The result? White Chocolate Dipped Ginger Cookies that look exactly like miniature Christmas puddings!

These cookies are the best of both worlds. You get the warmth of the spices—ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg—balanced by the sweet, milky creaminess of the white chocolate. They look elegant enough for a cookie exchange but are fun enough that the kids will fight over who gets to put the berries on top.

If you have been looking for a “showstopper” cookie that is actually deceptively easy to make, this is it.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

I have baked a lot of ginger cookies in my life, from crisp snaps to my favorite Gingerbread Crinkles. But here is why this specific recipe has earned a permanent spot in my holiday tin:

The Texture: These are not hard gingersnaps. They are soft, chewy, and tender. The molasses keeps them moist, and the white chocolate adds a crisp snap when you bite in.
The “Christmas Pudding” Look: The half-dip makes them look like little snowy hills or traditional English puddings. It’s a high-impact look for very little effort.
Make-Ahead Friendly: The dough actually needs to chill, which means you can make the dough today and bake it tomorrow. Perfect for busy holiday schedules.
Balanced Flavor: Sometimes molasses cookies can be a bit intense for kids. The white chocolate mellows out the spice, making it a crowd-pleaser for all ages.

Ingredients Breakdown

This recipe relies on pantry staples, but there are a few specific things you need to get that perfect texture.

The Dry Goods

All-Purpose Flour: Spoon and level it so your cookies don’t dry out.
Baking Soda: This gives the cookies their lift and helps create those beautiful cracks on top.
The Spices: We are using a powerhouse blend of ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. This combination smells exactly like Christmas morning.
Salt: Essential to balance the molasses.

The Wet Goods

Unsalted Butter: Make sure it is softened to room temperature so it creams properly with the sugar.
Sugars: We use a mix of granulated sugar (for crisp edges) and light brown sugar (for chewiness and moisture). You’ll also need a little extra granulated sugar for rolling the dough balls before baking.
Molasses: This is the non-negotiable ingredient. It provides the dark color, the moisture, and that signature earthy sweetness. Do not use Blackstrap molasses (it’s too bitter); stick to standard unsulphured molasses (like Grandma’s brand).
Egg & Vanilla: For structure and flavor.

The Dip & Decor

White Chocolate Chips: Use a good quality brand like Ghirardelli. Cheap white chocolate chips can be waxy and hard to melt.
Shortening (or Paramount Crystals): This is the secret weapon! Adding a few tablespoons of shortening to your melting chocolate thins it out, making it glossy and easier to dip. It ensures a smooth, professional finish rather than a gloppy mess.
Decorations: You can use jumbo holly sprinkles, or pipe the leaves and berries with red and green candy melts or royal icing.

Step-by-Step Instructions

These cookies require a little patience because of the chilling time, but the actual hands-on work is very simple.

Step 1: Whisk the Dry Ingredients

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Make sure there are no clumps of baking soda hanging out. Set this aside.

Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugars

In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened butter, ½ cup of the granulated sugar (save the rest for rolling!), and the brown sugar. Beat until it is well blended and fluffy.

Step 3: Add the Liquids

Mix in the egg, followed by the molasses and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure that sticky molasses is fully incorporated.

Step 4: Combine

With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined. The dough will be soft and sticky—that is normal!

Step 5: The Chill (Do Not Skip!)

Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. This solidifies the butter and hydrates the flour, making the dough easy to roll and preventing the cookies from spreading into flat pancakes in the oven.

Tip: While the dough chills, why not whip up a batch of Homemade Eggnog? It pairs perfectly with these spices!

Step 6: Roll and Bake

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Scoop the dough (about 1 ½ teaspoons per cookie) and shape into balls. Roll each ball in the remaining granulated sugar to coat. Place them on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Flatten the tops just slightly with your hand.

Bake for 8–10 minutes. They should look set around the edges but still slightly soft in the middle.

Step 7: Cool Completely

Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack. They need to be completely cool before dipping, or the chocolate will slide right off.

Step 8: The Dip

Melt your white chocolate chips with the shortening in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring in between until smooth and fluid. Dip one half of each cookie into the chocolate. Let the excess drip off, then place it on a sheet of foil or parchment paper.

Step 9: Decorate

While the chocolate is still wet, add your holly sprinkles. If you are piping the decorations, let the white chocolate set first, then pipe the leaves and berries on top.

Expert Tips & Troubleshooting

How to melt white chocolate without seizing: White chocolate is temperamental. If it gets too hot or touches a single drop of water, it will “seize” and turn into a gritty clump.

Tip: Microwave on 50% power.
Tip: Use a completely dry bowl and spoon.
Tip: Don’t skip the shortening! It changes the viscosity and makes dipping a breeze.

My cookies didn’t crackle! If you want deep cracks (like a crinkle cookie), make sure your baking soda is fresh. Also, don’t over-flatten them before baking. Just a gentle tap is enough.

Can I make these gluten-free? Yes! I have had success swapping the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend (like King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill). The texture changes slightly, but the flavor is spot on.

Variations & Serving Ideas

The “Dark & Stormy” Dip: If white chocolate is too sweet for you, dip these in dark chocolate. The bitterness of the dark chocolate pairs beautifully with the ginger and molasses. It reminds me of my Homemade Chocolate Covered Cherries—rich, dark, and decadent.

Lemon Ginger: Add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the cookie dough. The citrus brightens up the spices and goes amazingly well with the white chocolate dip.

Serving for Parties: These look fantastic on a tiered tray. I like to alternate them with plain Soft Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies for a nice color contrast between the dark molasses and the golden cookie dough.

Storage & Freezing

Room Temperature: Store these in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The molasses keeps them soft. Use parchment paper between layers so the white chocolate doesn’t get scuffed.

Freezing the Dough: You can roll the balls in sugar and freeze them raw! Just add 1–2 minutes to the baking time when baking from frozen.

Freezing Baked Cookies: These freeze beautifully. Let the chocolate set completely, then stack them in a container with wax paper between layers. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter for an hour before serving.

FAQs

Why do I need to chill the dough? This dough is very sticky because of the molasses. If you skip the chill, the dough will cling to your hands, and the cookies will spread too thin in the oven.

Can I use fresh ginger? You can, but it changes the texture. For this specific soft, chewy cookie, dried ground ginger gives a more consistent result and that classic “bakery” flavor.

What are Paramount Crystals? They are little flakes of hydrogenated palm kernel oil used by professional bakers to thin out chocolate. If you don’t have them (I usually order online), solid vegetable shortening (like Crisco) works almost as well.

Conclusion

These White Chocolate Dipped Ginger Cookies are truly a joy to bake. From the heavenly smell of spices filling your kitchen to the fun of decorating them to look like little puddings, they bring so much holiday cheer.

Whether you leave them out for Santa or pack them up in a tin for your neighbors, I hope they bring a little extra sweetness to your season.

Did you try the dip? Let me know in the comments below how yours turned out! And don’t forget to Pin this recipe to your Christmas Baking board so you can find it every year!