Double Ginger Oatmeal Cookies
Double Ginger Oatmeal Cookies have two kinds of ginger in them for two times the delicious ginger oatmeal flavor. There’s freshly ground ginger and chopped stem ginger.
I made some easy gingerbread cookie truffles with some stem ginger cookies from Nairn’s. They’re my new favorite oat cookie to eat. And their chocolate biscuits are delicious, too! No, this post isn’t going to be about those cookies. But their cookies did inspire me to make some stem ginger cookies.
What is stem ginger?
Did you know that ginger can have at least 4 different forms?
1. fresh ginger stem
2. stem/candied ginger
3. crystalized ginger
4. ground ginger
I think I need to clear something up right up front through. We do not eat ginger root. We eat the rhizome. The rhizome is a stem that grows horizontally off the root of the plant. It grows above the root and below the leaves. Sometimes there’s a young rhizome between the mature one and the stem of the plant called the corn or just a young rhizome. Sometimes the rhizome is called a knuckle.
Stem ginger is ginger that’s simmered in sugar syrup. Sometimes that’s also called candied ginger. But it’s not crystalized ginger. Crystalized ginger is stem or candied ginger that’s chopped, tossed in sugar, and dried. I thought about adding some to this recipe making it a triple ginger oatmeal cookie. But I wasn’t sure the hubs would enjoy that.
Then there’s dried ginger. It’s basically the stem of the ginger rhizome that’s dried. This is what you can find in the grocery store as ground ginger. I prefer to buy the whole, dried rhizomes and ground them myself. You won’t believe the taste difference. Try it. I bet you won’t go back to already ground ginger afterwards.
What are the health benefits of ginger stem?
Remember when you were a kid and maybe you got a stomach virus or felt a little sick in your stomach? And your parents gave you some ginger ale to drink? Well, that’s because ginger has amazing gastrointestinal benefits. In particular, it promotes gastrointestinal motility. That basically means that it helps speed up the digestion process.
Helping to speed up the digestion process can help with nausea, bloating, and gas. It has antioxidants which prevent wear and tear on your cells. And it has anti-inflammatory properties. That means it helps with muscle pain and arthritis symptoms. With over 400 natural compounds, we still don’t know the full benefits of the ginger stem.
There are some studies that show ginger helps with lowering blood sugar and high disease risk factors. Ginger has anti-diabetic properties and possible weight loss properties. One study in 2018 had some participants lower their weight to hip ratio and their fasting insulin resistance. But there’s not enough studies to really prove this. It’s just a theory at this point.
It helps with chronic indigestion. That’s indigestion with no real known cause that happens frequently. Taking a supplement or drinking ginger juice could help alleviate this. Or so they say. I might try this and let you know. Stay tuned.
How do you make stem ginger?
First peel the ginger. No. Don’t grab your peeler. Just grab a spoon. I’ve been peeling ginger this way for years. You simply scrap the tip of the spoon against the ginger and the peel comes right off. Sometimes the stem has knots and it’s a little difficult to scrap the skin off that part. That’s fine. You can cut those off and save them for grinding up for stir fry or another baking recipe.
After the ginger is peeled, then you thinly slice it. I sliced mine into 1/4-inch-thick slices. I didn’t grab the mandoline because I could easily slice the ginger into thin rounds with my knife. It smelled so good slicing up that ginger. I love how it smells fresh from the stem.
When you’re finished slicing the ginger, it goes into a pot with water and sugar. Then it simmers. Simmer until the ginger is tender and the syrup is slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and let the ginger cool. I put mine in the jar and put it in the fridge to chill until I was ready to use it.
How do you make Double Ginger Oatmeal Cookies?
Double ginger oatmeal cookies are a lot like a regular oatmeal cookie recipe. Except they have stem ginger in them. You cream the butter and sugar together. Then you add the egg, vanilla and ginger. Next is the flour mixture. Then you stir in the oatmeal and finally the pistachios.
The first batch didn’t flatten. No matter what I use they just don’t seem to spread. Then I saw Joanna Gaines having to press her oatmeal cookies down and I thought, “If she has that problem, too, then I’m not a bad baker.” So, try a pan of a few cookies and if yours don’t spread, then press them down. Or just skip the test pan and press them down. It makes them the perfect thickness.
The two kinds of ginger make double ginger oatmeal cookies super delicious. Of course, I love ginger which is why I made them. For those thinking, “Isn’t the stem ginger spicy?” No. I didn’t taste any heat from the ginger. And since I finely chopped the ginger and added in with the eggs, the ginger was sort of creamed into the wet ingredients. I did not come across any large chunks of stem ginger in there, either. They disappeared into the cookie and just left their delicious ginger flavor.
If you don’t like pistachios, then choose another nut like hazelnuts or cashews. Maybe some macadamia nuts. Something non-traditional for cookies like this. Pick a nut that is rich and delicious to elevate all the flavor the ginger. And I didn’t add any fruit to my double ginger oatmeal cookies. I thought about golden raisins but decided not to add them. Currents might be fun to add, though. I might have to try that next time I make these.
I did not share these double ginger oatmeal cookies. Well, the hubs ate some, but I think I ate most of them. I took them to work and snacked on them after lunch. They became dessert after dinner. I couldn’t stop snacking on them. They’re not heavy. Sometimes oatmeal cookies can be heavy. But the ginger in there brightened the flavors and made these cookies delightfully light and delicious.
Look at that deep golden-brown color. You know these double ginger oatmeal cookies are packed with ginger oatmeal goodness. The pistachios are kind of hidden in there. They’re a pleasant surprise in these already delicious cookies.
Double Ginger Oatmeal Cookies
Double Ginger Oatmeal Cookies have two kinds of ginger in them for two times the delicious ginger oatmeal flavor. There’s freshly ground ginger and chopped stem ginger.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon chopped stem ginger
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pistachios
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Combine the flour with the baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, and salt in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter with the brown and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one a time beating between each addition.
- Stir in the vanilla extract and the chopped stem ginger. Feel free to add a teaspoon or so of the syrup if you’d like for added ginger sweetness.
- Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture 1/3 at a time.
- Stir until combined, being careful not to over mix the dough.
- Stir in the oats until thoroughly combined and stir in the pistachios.
- Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a baking sheet lined with a silpat or parchment paper.
- Using the bottom of a glass or your hands dampened with water, press the cookies slightly to flatten them out.
- Bake at 350 for 14 to 16 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges.
- Cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition Information
Yield
18Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 292Total Fat 14gSaturated Fat 7gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 48mgSodium 123mgCarbohydrates 38gFiber 2gSugar 16gProtein 5g
Welcome to #ChristmasCookies Week! That time of year when we soften the butter, fire up the oven, and make cookie trays for family, friends, and neighbors. This year more than 20 top-notch bloggers are sharing their very favorite creations for all to make and enjoy. Join us for a week’s worth of Christmas cookie deliciousness.
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I have a neighbor who just told me how much she loves ginger. I’m totally going to have to forward her this tasty recipe!!!
Me, too! I love ginger in all the things. And not just the ground ginger, which I grind fresh, but the stem ginger in these cookies, my stir-fry sauce, and curries.