lack Garlic Christmas Cookies For A Unique Holiday Treat
These Black Garlic Christmas Cookies are soft, chewy, and warmly spiced, with a quiet twist that makes everyone take a second bite. Black garlic melts into the dough and turns familiar ginger molasses-style cookies into something deeper and a little mysterious. You still get all the cozy holiday flavor you expect, just with a richer, almost caramel-like finish.
Intro
Makes: 18 to 22 cookies
Prep time: 20 minutes (plus optional chill time)
Bake time: 9 to 11 minutes per tray
Total time: about 45 minutes
In the I Love Black Garlic kitchen, we test recipes with real holiday baking in mind. That means simple steps, ingredients you likely already have, and black garlic used in a way that feels playful but not gimmicky. Here, black garlic purée or mashed cloves blend right into the butter, sugar, and molasses. The dough smells like gingerbread with an extra layer of dark fruit and toffee.
These cookies bake up with crisp edges and soft, chewy centers, the way good Christmas cookies should. Roll them in sugar for a sparkly, crackled top and serve them on your cookie tray next to the classics. They fit in, but they also stand out.
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 tablespoon Organic Black Garlic Purée, or 4 peeled black garlic cloves mashed into a smooth paste
For rolling
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- Optional: 1 teaspoon cinnamon mixed into the sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Heat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.
- Combine the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt until everything looks evenly mixed. Set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugars. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. The mixture should look a little lighter in color and feel airy.
- Add the egg, molasses, and black garlic. Beat in the egg until fully combined. Add the molasses and black garlic purée or mashed black garlic cloves and mix until smooth. The batter will smell like gingerbread with a hint of dark fruit and caramel.
- Mix in the dry ingredients. Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed or by hand just until no dry flour remains. The dough will be soft and a bit sticky, which is what you want for a chewy cookie.
- Chill the dough. Cover the bowl and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes. This short rest helps the flavors develop and keeps the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
- Prepare the rolling sugar. Pour 1/4 cup granulated sugar into a shallow bowl. If you want an extra hit of spice, stir in 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
- Shape and roll. Scoop tablespoon sized portions of dough and roll them into balls between your palms. Roll each ball in the sugar (or cinnamon sugar) until fully coated, then place on the lined baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between cookies.
- Bake. Bake one sheet at a time for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges look set and the tops are lightly cracked. The centers should still look soft. They will firm up as they cool.
- Cool. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy slightly warm for maximum chew and aroma.
Tips and Variations
- Dial in the black garlic flavor. If you are new to baking with black garlic, start with 1 tablespoon purée or 4 mashed cloves. For a stronger flavor, you can add an extra teaspoon next time. The goal is to deepen the cookie, not overpower it.
- Make them chocolatey. Fold in 1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks or chips for a black garlic chocolate ginger cookie that feels even more decadent.
- Add citrus. A teaspoon of orange zest in the dough or sprinkled on top of warm cookies gives a bright note that plays nicely with the molasses and black garlic.
- Finish with flaky salt. A small pinch of flaky sea salt on each warm cookie highlights the caramel notes and makes the flavor pop.
- Plan ahead for the holidays. Roll the dough into balls, freeze them on a tray, then store in a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 extra minutes. This makes it easy to bake off a few fresh cookies whenever guests drop by.
Nutrition
Exact nutrition will vary based on the size of your cookies and any add ins, but here is an approximate guide for one cookie when the batch makes 20 cookies:
- Calories: about 140 to 160
- Carbohydrates: about 20 to 22 grams
- Fat: about 6 to 7 grams
- Protein: about 2 grams
- Fiber: about 0.5 gram
These are still very much a holiday treat, but black garlic lets you lean on flavor instead of extra frosting or candy. A couple of cookies with some fruit or tea makes a satisfying dessert plate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do these black garlic cookies taste like garlic?
No. Black garlic is slow aged, which turns the sharp garlic cloves into something soft, sweet, and gently tangy. In these cookies it tastes more like caramel, dates, and molasses with a hint of balsamic. Most people will simply notice that the cookies taste especially rich.
Can I use only black garlic purée or only peeled cloves?
Yes. If you have our purée on hand, use 1 tablespoon and mix it straight into the wet ingredients. If you only have peeled cloves, mash 4 cloves into a smooth paste and use that instead. Both options give you the same deep, sweet flavor.
Can I make the dough ahead for a cookie swap?
You can chill the dough for up to 48 hours before baking. For longer storage, scoop the dough into balls, freeze on a tray, then store in a freezer bag. Bake from frozen and add 1 to 2 minutes to the baking time. This makes it easy to bake fresh cookies right before your party.
How long do black garlic cookies stay fresh?
Stored in an airtight container at room temperature, the cookies stay soft for 4 to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze the baked cookies for up to 1 month. Let them thaw on the counter and they will still taste chewy and full of flavor.
More Black Garlic Holiday Ideas
If you are building a whole menu around black garlic this season, here are a few easy ways to keep the theme going from appetizers to sides and sauces.
- Pair your cookie tray with a savory snack board and a small bowl of black garlic butter for spreading on warm rolls or crackers.
- Serve these cookies after a cozy dinner that features creamy black garlic mashed potatoes on the table.
- For a playful sweet savory twist, drizzle a little black garlic honey over vanilla ice cream and serve it alongside the cookies.
Bake With Our Black Garlic
Our black garlic is slow aged in small batches until the cloves turn soft, jammy, and deeply flavorful. That is what lets recipes like these cookies taste special without needing complex techniques.
For baking, we love how easily our Organic Black Garlic Purée whiskes into butter and sugar, and how our Organic Peeled Black Garlic Cloves mash into a smooth paste for doughs and batters.
Stock your pantry once and you will be ready to turn classic holiday recipes into new favorites that your friends and family ask for every year.
