Those of you who follow my Facebook page know that I have been in search of candied ginger. nearly as easy to find as I thought. Plenty of candied fruit for those awful fruitcakes but no ginger. It’s ridiculous, but it got me thinking. Since I’m a true lover of fresh ginger, there’s no reason to purchase a processed candied version to make some good cookies. I’m flexible so I searched for a good fresh ginger cookie recipe and then tweaked it to my ownl taste.

As for ginger tea, it’s the simplest thing to make. Boil up some water, add a 1/2 inch slice of fresh ginger and some honey or agave nectar. It’s so easy and delicious, and your house smells lovely! I try to drink this tea often because of ginger’s health benefits. I use it for its anti-inflammatory proponents but it’s also great for gastrointestinal issues and protects against certain cancers.

I actually have a Zingiber Zerumbet plant also known as Shampoo Ginger growing in my backyard. It’s pretty much a long stalk with large leaves growing out of each side. The picture seen is not of my own since our last cold front hurt it and it’s not too pretty. I’ll be bringing it inside today before the next cold spell which is due in a couple of days. As it get’s larger it’s supposed to grow cones that produce a milky liquid that is used in some regions as a shampoo. The liquid itself is also known for its health benefits.

On to my cookies, they are a little time-consuming because they have to be refrigerated for an hour before baking. However, it is a simple recipe which can be adjusted for personal tastes. Personally, I don’t care for spices such as cloves or powered nutmeg so I kept this a basic ginger cookie. Feel free to add more spice if desired.

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I used half white whole wheat flour)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda and baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1/4 cup honey or agave nectar or a combination of both (I combined)

1 egg

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1.5 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Beat ginger, butter, vanilla and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in honey/agave and egg mix well. Gently fold in flour mixture until just combined, add chocolate chips. Chill for 1 hour Preheat oven to 350 degrees F Roll dough into 1 inch balls Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets Bake until edges start to brown and the centers are soft, 10-12 minutes Let stand on cookie sheets 1 minute and remove to racks to cool Dust with confection sugar

~enjoy~