Are you tired of eating cookies yet?
I don’t know about you, but my family makes an absurd amount of cookies a week before the holidays. I could never truly be sick of eating cookies! It’s a problem, I know.
So before everyone gets on their January healthy kick here’s one more sweet recipe. I waited until after Christmas to share this recipe because it would be great for New Years Eve too!
The orange and hibiscus add just enough pop that it makes the cookie taste less sweet.
There are two types of ginger in these cookies, fresh grated ginger and crystalized ginger. If you’re not a ginger fan, don’t worry! The flavor is subdued and the slight heat complements the hibiscus flavor perfectly. If fresh ginger isn’t available, it’s okay to use ground ginger.
There is no substitute for crystallized ginger due to its unique texture and taste. In case your local store does not carry it, many online stores have crystallized ginger in stock. You’ll notice the stickiness of the crystalized ginger when you first start chopping! Use a sharp knife and take care to chop in small pieces. It will be worth the effort when every bite includes the sweet, crystalized aspect mixed with the heat of the ginger to create a spiciness that dances on your tongue.
My favorite part about this recipe is slicing each raw cookie off the rolled up dough. It’s so much easier than having to scoop each chunk out of the dough and place them on the cookie sheet.
I hope you enjoy these citrus, slightly gingery shortbread cookies! Leave a comment below with your thoughts.
What’s your favorite holiday cookie?
Hibiscus Ginger Pinwheel Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger
- 4 tablespoons finely chopped candied/crystalized ginger
- 3 tablespoons finely ground dried hibiscus (I used loose leaf hibiscus tea)
- fresh orange zest from 1 orange
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or handheld mixer, combine the butter and sugar. Beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add 1 egg and mix 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, candied/crystallized ginger, salt, and fresh ginger. Add flour mix to the butter all at once and scrape the bowl. Beat until flour is fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, pressing down to form a flat square. Refrigerate the dough until firm, about 30 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine the hibiscus and orange zest.
- Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper into a10-by-13-inch rectangle. Peel off the top sheet of parchment paper. Beat the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl, and brush the surface of the dough. Sprinkle the hibiscus mixture over the dough, leaving a ½-inchborder along one of the long edges. Press down lightly on the sugar to make sure it sticks to the dough. Starting from the long end, roll the dough into a tight log. Use the bottom sheet of parchment to help lift and roll the dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until the dough is firm enough to slice, at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Slice each log into ½-inch rounds. Lay the rounds on the prepared baking sheet, spacing at least ½-inch apart.
- Bake until the cookies are golden at the bottom edges, about 15 - 22 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
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