Giant Ginger Cookies

This is another cookie that I have wanted to make for years.  It is supposed to be a triple ginger cookie, but I missed the triple part and didn't have any fresh ginger.   Therefore, they became double ginger cookies with candied ginger and ground ginger.  The recipe has an icing for them, but I didn't have time to add icing to these.  They look really cool iced, stacked and packaged as gifts.

The original recipe is from Cuisine at Home's Holiday Cookies.

Cookies
Whisk together and set aside:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt - I used a couple of grinds of sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper (I did not use this)

Cream:
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar

Add:
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup candied ginger, minced
1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, minced (this was the part I didn't have)

Scoop Dough; Coat In:
Turbinado sugar, coarse, or granulated sugar

Whisk flour, spices, soda, salt and pepper together in a bowl.
In another bowl, cream butter and both sugars together until smooth.
Add egg and beat until incorporated, then beat in the molasses, candied ginger, and fresh ginger.
Gradually add flour-spice mixture, mixing just to combine.  Chill dough until slightly firm, about an hour.

Preheat oven to 350; line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Scoop dough into 2 1/2" balls - #20 cookie scoop or 1/4 cup.  Smooth onto balls, coat in sugar, and arrange on prepared baking sheets; spacing 3" apart.
Flatten the balls with the bottom of a measuring cup, then bake for 15-18 minutes, or until set.  (I baked mine for 15 minutes).  Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack.

If you want to ice the cookies, whisk together the icing ingredients until smooth.  Spread a tablespoon of icing on each cookie with a spatula.  Allow the icing to harden before packaging.

Tangy Lemon Icing:
2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons meringue powder or powdered egg whites
1 Tablespoon of milk
Minced zest of one lemon
Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Giant Double Ginger Cookies

Giant Double Ginger Cookies