Pearl sugar saves the day again with these beautiful, polka-dotted Pearl Sugar Ginger Cookies. Acting as gorgeous decoration and a protective crunchy layer, pearlsugar helps make sure the cookies arrive to your far-flung loved ones in serious style. The molasses also helps the cookies stay fresher for longer, as the hygroscopic sugar keeps them moist.
Pearl Sugar Ginger Cookies
Makes about 24 cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (55 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon (3 grams) lemon zest
- ⅓ cup (113 grams) molasses (not blackstrap)
- 1 large egg (50 grams), room temperature
- 2¼ cups (281 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons (4 grams) ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking soda
- 1 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon (1.5 grams) ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon (1 gram) ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon (1 gram) ground cloves
- ½ cup (104 grams) Swedish pearl sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and lemon zest at medium speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add molasses and egg; beat until well combined, stopping to scrape sides of bowl.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves. Add flour mixture to butter mixture all at once; beat at low speed until combined, stopping to scrape sides of bowl.
- In a small shallow bowl, place pearl sugar.
- Using a 1½-tablespoon spring-loaded scoop, scoop dough (about 30 grams each), and roll into balls. Roll dough balls in pearl sugar (see Note), and place 1¾ to 2 inches apart on prepared pans.
- Bake, one batch at a time, until cookies appear cracked and edges are just set but centers look slightly underdone, about 10 minutes. Let cool on pan for 4 minutes. Remove from pan, and let cool completely on wire racks. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Notes
If pearl sugar isn’t sticking as well, lightly dampen hands with water before rolling dough into balls and coating in sugar.
These cookies have become a must bake for Christmas. Just enough gingerbread flavor. Easy to make…perfect and just a little different.
Where can I purchase the pearl sugar?
Hi Gretchen,
Thank you for your question! Your best bet for finding pearl sugar will probably be online (on Amazon, linked here), however some specialty grocery stores will also carry it.
Hope this helps, and happy baking!
These cookies are delicious; well balanced and not too sweet. (I left out the cardamom & cloves – didn’t have.)
Thanks for an easy to follow and tasty recipe!