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It’s not often that my husband Jack sets out to bake some cookies. I’m usually the one that makes the desserts and other baked goods (except for breads – that is one of Jack’s specialties). So I was pleasantly surprised when Jack told me that he wanted to bake these Saigon Cinnamon Ginger Cookies!
These wonderful chewy, spicy cookies were inspired by a cookie recipe originally published in the same Vietnamese cookbook
that we shared with you in last week’s post for that delicious Gooey Ginger Chicken. Tony Rees, the sous/pastry chef of Lemon Grass Café in Sacramento, California originally named these cookies ‘ginger twinkles’ – a nod to both the ginger flavor as well as the sweet sugar coating.
Our version is an adaptation that uses Roasted Saigon Cinnamon
andRoasted Ground Ginger
(wow – are those fantastic spices!), and we rolled our cookies in Demerara sugar
for an even crunchier sugar coating!
These Saigon cinnamon ginger cookies are dark and sweet and intense with flavor! They have a slight crunch around the edges but are actually wonderfully chewy – similar in texture to a sugar cookie.
Jack and I couldn’t stop eating these Saigon cinnamon ginger cookies – they are some of the best cookies we’ve ever had! And I think…now that I know how good Jack is at baking…I’m going to encourage him to bake cookies more often!
Recipe adapted from The Best of Vietnamese & Thai Cooking: Favorite Recipes from Lemon Grass Restaurant and Cafes.
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Saigon Cinnamon Ginger Cookies
Yield: 4 dozen cookies 1x
Prep: 50 minsCook: 15 minsTotal: 1 hour 5 minutes
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Ingredients
- 3 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons McCormick Gourmet Roasted Saigon Cinnamon
, (regular cinnamon may be substituted if you can’t find the roasted version) - 4 teaspoons McCormick Gourmet Roasted Ground Ginger, 1.37-Ounce, (regular ground ginger may be used if you can’t find the roasted version)
- 2 sticks softened butter (8 ounces)
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/3 cup dark molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup Demerara Sugar (Turbinado Sugar or granulated sugar may be substituted)
or granulated sugar may be substituted)Instructions
- In a medium bowl, sift flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and ginger and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter, white sugar and molasses until fluffy – about 3-4 minutes.
- Add egg and beat for 30 seconds. Scrape sides of bowl and mix again.
- Add dry ingredients on low speed until thoroughly mixed.
- Divide dough into four logs, eight inches long. Seal each one in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- On a cutting board, cut a log in half and half again. Then cut each quarter into thirds, yielding 12 cookies. Repeat for other three logs for 48 pieces.
- Pour Demerara sugar in a pie plate. Line four cookie sheets with parchment paper or if nonstick, no parchment needed.
- Roll each slice on one face and all of the edges in the sugar and then place sugared side face up in your pans; 12 per pan. (If you sugar both sides, they slide on the pan and don’t stay put). Alternatively, you can roll each slice into a ball and press slightly to get a perfect surface. The way these cookies bake, the way they look going into the oven is how they will look coming out, just a bit bigger. Any imperfections don’t get baked out. If these are for show, you should roll first to create a nice even look, but not necessary.
- Bake one pan 12 to 15 minutes until cookies start to dry out around the edges but are still soft in the middle. (Ours took exactly 14 minutes but ovens differ and cookie sheets differ.) Repeat for the other three pans.
- Let sit on pan for five minutes then transfer to cooling racks before storing.
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Cuisine:VietnameseMethod:baking
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
You may also like:
Gooey Ginger Chicken
Crispy Asian Chicken Wings with Ginger-Lime Dipping Sauce
Carrot and Ginger Soup
Martha
Martha is part of the husband-wife team that creates A Family Feast. She loves to cook and entertain for family and friends, and she believes that serving a great meal is one of the best ways to show someone that you care. Martha is a self-taught home cook, who loves to read cookbooks and try new recipes. After a decades-long career in business and online marketing, she now runs A Family Feast full-time. Her specialties are baking, desserts, vegetables and pasta dishes.
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Updated: 1/23/23
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- Annie says
Not only does my house smell amazing but these taste fantastic—definitely a keeper! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. The recipe was easy to follow and the instructions were very clear too.
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- Martha says
Thanks Annie – so glad you enjoyed the cookies!
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- Ian Embling says
Made these for a present. Fun to make and gorgeous to eat! Everyone loved them so much I have to make another batch! Great recipe which I can highly recommend .
Thank you afamilyfeast.comReply
- Martha says
You are very welcome Ian! Thank you!
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- Susan says
What type of molasses are best to use for this recipe? These look fabulous!!
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- Martha says
Hi Susan – We used a standard brand called Grandma’s Molasses in our cookies (found in most supermarkets). Hope that helps!
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- patti says
thanks for this recipe…found the roasted spices at the store and after smelling the cinnamon I made them immediately. My regular cinnamon didn’t even really have a smell at all! The chewiness was fantastic, they lasted about a day and were gone.
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- Martha says
So glad you enjoyed the cookies – and that cinnamon – as much as we do Patti! Thanks for taking the time to write to us!
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- Emily says
I love these cookies so much!
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- Martha says
Thanks Emily!
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- Diane V says
cant wait to make these I love cinnamon anything
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- Martha says
Thanks Diane – I think you’ll love these if you are a cinnamon fan!
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- Debbie says
Thank you! I try a new cookie recipe every week, and this might be the best recipe i’ve ever used 🙂
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- Martha says
Wow – thanks Debbie! (We think these cookies are pretty fabulous too!)
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- ana says
These cookies sound amazing, how long do they last?
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- Martha says
Thanks Ana – If they are stored in an air-tight container, they should last 4-5 days.
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- ana says
great thank you!
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- dina says
they look like perfect cinnamon cookies. yum!
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- Martha says
Thanks Dina!
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- Medeja says
These spiced cookies look great. Cinnamon and ginger.. just yummy!
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- Martha says
Thanks Medeja! It’s a great combination for sure!
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