Tea and Cookies! Chocolatey Ginger Crackle Cookies and a Tea Advent Calendar and Gift Ideas!

Happy November my friends!  It has been more than a year since I tasted my very first chocolate ginger cookie from a wonderful local bakery.  I was in love with the combination of flavors. I have tried to replicate the recipe twice without success - until now!  This is a delightfully chewy chocolate crackle cookie with just the right amount of ginger and cinnamon flavor to make it perfect for the chilly weather and upcoming holidays.  My husband, who does not care for gingerbread cookies, remarked at how good he thought they were.  Quite a compliment coming from him :)  

What can be more perfect alongside a delightful cookie than a delicious cup of tea? I love my coffee in the morning but each afternoon in the cooler months I love a hot cup of tea in the afternoon. In the warm months I enjoy iced tea.  

It was serendipity that during the time I was testing this cookie recipe, I was invited to preview the 2021 Adagio Tea Advent Calendar along with their 2021 Twelve Teas of Christmas.  I was given a sample of both to review and give my honest opinion.  This is not a paid promotion.  

The charming 2021 Adagio Tea Advent Calendar has a delicious seasonal tea surprise behind each window in the calendar.  

A wonderful gift for the tea lovers of your friends and family! You can find the Adagio Tea Advent Calendar by clicking here.  

I absolutely adore The Twelve Teas of Christmas from Adagio Tea!  Each seasonal tea is held inside it's own 'Twelve Days' tin with a charming illustration.  Each tin has a green satin loop to hang from your Christmas Tree.  𝅘𝅥𝅱𝅘𝅥𝅱 On the first tea of Christmas my true love gave to me...A Partridge in a Pear Tree! 𝅘𝅥𝅮  Each tin holds a different tea to sample, the Partridge in a Pear Tree contains White Pear tea.  You can buy the Twelve Teas of Christmas and see a list of the 12 teas by clicking here.  

Lastly, to drink with my new Chocolate Ginger Cookies, I tried Adagio Tea's Reindeer Fuel.  It is a delightfully delicious tasting tea which I truly enjoyed.  It's an Adagio "Signature Blend" of black tea, toasted mate, cocoa nibs, cocoa and cinnamon natural flavors, peppermint and ginger.  Sooooo good!  This pouch is a rewards gift with purchases.  You can learn more about this on the Adagio Teas website.  

Thank you, Adagio Teas, for asking me to sample your charming holiday gift teas.  There are more tea gift ideas on their website along with all of their regular and seasonal teas and accessories. 

Now for the AMAZING Chocolate Ginger Cookie recipe!

Chocolate Ginger Crackle Cookies

Printable Recipe

1/2 cup (113 g, 8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, just barely melted and cooled slightly
1/4 cup (56 g, 4 tablespoons) vegetable shortening, such as Crisco
2/3 cup (140 g) packed brown sugar
1/3 cup (87 g) dark molasses (I used Blackstrap molasses)
1 large egg
1-1/2 cups (225 g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (60 g) cocoa powder (I like Ghirardelli cocoa powder)
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
3 ounces(85 g) coarsely chopped 60% dark chocolate (I used a Ghirardelli Bittersweet baking bar)

Sanding sugar, for rolling the cookies

Directions:

In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat together the melted butter, shortening, brown sugar, and molasses in a large bowl. Add the egg and mix in.

In a separate bowl, sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger, and salt and add to the butter mixture all at once. Slowly mix in until evenly combined (the mixture will be quite soft). Blend in the chopped chocolate. Cover and chill the dough for at least 2 hours or overnight. I chilled mine overnight. This will insure the best looking crackle.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line two baking trays with parchment or silicone baking sheets.

Scoop out 1 tablespoon portions of cookie dough. Roll each into a ball and then roll the balls in the sanding sugar to coat. Arrange the cookies on the baking sheets allowing 2 inches (5 cm) between each one. Leave the balls round, do not flatten! This also attains the best crackle and texture. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until they crackle and feel set at the edges. I baked mine for 11 minutes. You want the centers to remain moist.

Let the cookies cool on the trays on a cooling rack for 10 minutes and remove to a rack to cool completely. The cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days and freeze beautifully.

Note: The original recipe calls for 1-1/2 tablespoons of fresh grated ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg, which I omitted.  They freeze well also.  

Recipe adapted from Baking Day with Anna Olson and also appears in the October Costco Connection magazine.