Chocolate Dipped Gingerbread Cookies

Shaped like squirrels and acorns, these Chocolate Dipped Gingerbread Cookies are a fun and delicious way to celebrate fall.

Of the 40+ cookie recipes I’ve baked for Fall Cookie Week over the years, I’ve never done a fun cookie cutter shape. That all changes today with these Chocolate Dipped Gingerbread Cookies.

Welcome back to Fall Cookie Week 2018! If you’re new here, Fall Cookie Week (established in 2012 and affectionately known as FCW) is a week-long series celebrating the flavors of fall in cookie form. My blogging and real-life friend, Julie Blanner and I are sharing a new recipe every day this week. You can find all of my recipes here and all of Julie’s recipes here.

Chocolate Dipped Gingerbread Cookies:

I’m super excited about today’s cookie because it’s both cute and delicious. Even though gingerbread is usually associated with the winter holidays, I decided it would make an interesting addition to my FCW lineup.

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This particular dough is great because it rolls out nicely and holds its shape well when baking. This is critical when using detailed cookie cutters such as this squirrel and acorn.
This is the set of cookie cutters I purchased to make these cookies.

Thanks to brown sugar, molasses, and ginger, this dough also has amazing fall flavor.

How to Make Chocolate Dipped Gingerbread Cookies:

You’ll want to prepare this dough a day ahead and let it chill in the refrigerator overnight. Cold dough is essential for rolling out these properly.

Also, this dough can be a little sticky, so make sure to flour your countertop or work surface before rolling out the dough.

After cutting the shapes, bake them until they just start to brown. This will ensure the cookies are soft.

Once cooled the cookies get a strategic coat of chocolate and are then decorated with sprinkles and nuts. I used white and milk chocolate, but you can use whatever you like best. Instead of dipping the cookie directly into the chocolate, I used a spatula to apply the chocolate to the places on the cookie where I wanted it.

You can then use chopped walnuts and sprinkles to decorate the chocolate. You can also skip this step if you prefer.

Once the chocolate sets, your Chocolate Dipped Gingerbread Cookies are ready. Trust me, your family and friends will go nuts (pun intended) for these fabulous fall cookies.

If you liked these gingerbread cookies, you’ll also enjoy:

• Caramel Gingersnaps
• Gingerbread House Cake
• Gingersnaps with Apple Cider Glaze
• Gingerbread Christmas Tree

Now, before you scurry away, be sure to check out Julie Blanner’s cookie of the day: Brown Butter Oatmeal Coconut Cookies. Don’t they sound magical? In my book, anything with brown butter is scrumptious.

Also, while you’re on Julie’s blog, take some time to poke around. She is incredibly talented and her site is loaded with fabulous recipes and down-to-earth decorating tips and ideas. She even has a course on calligraphy!

I certainly hope this year’s Fall Cookie Week is inspiring you. Please join me back here tomorrow for another recipe!

Chocolate Dipped Gingerbread Cookies

Shaped like squirrels and acorns, these Chocolate Dipped Gingerbread Cookies are a fun and delicious way to celebrate fall.

5 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chocolate, cookie, cookie recipe, cookies, fall baking, fall cookie week, gingerbread

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes

Total Time: 27 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup vegetable shortening (Crisco)
• 1 cup brown sugar packed
• 3/4 cup molasses
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups melted chocolate white chocolate, milk chocolate, or dark chocolate
• Sprinkles and chopped nuts to garnish optional

Instructions

• Begin by adding the vegetable shortening and brown sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat together for 3-4 minutes until smooth.
• Add the molasses, buttermilk, and eggs. Beat again for 3-4 minutes until blended. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, baking soda, and salt. Then, mix this into the shortening mixture. Mix until just incorporated. Refrigerate for 6-8 hours or overnight.
• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough so that it's 1/4-inch thick. Cut out shapes with a cookie cutter. (I used a squirrel and an acorn.) Arrange the cookies on a non-greased baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges barely start to brown. Let cool.
• Use a spoon or spatula to drizzle chocolate on a portion of the cookie. (I did the tail of the squirrel and the nut or top of the acorn.) Before the chocolate hardens, garnish it with sprinkles or chopped nuts. Place the cookies on wax paper and allow the chocolate to set.
• Pack and seal the cookies in an airtight container.