Gluten Free Caramelized White Chocolate Ginger Cookies

I’m partnering with Paradise Fruit Co today to bring you these AMAZING gluten free caramelized white chocolate ginger cookies. They’re thick, toasty, and chewy and you’re sure to love them!

gf white chocolate ginger cookie split in half

Have you ever had caramelized white chocolate? I’m telling ya, if you haven’t, you NEED this in your life!! If you think you don’t like white chocolate, I urge you to give caramelized white chocolate a try and you’ll get it. You’ll understand the hype. It’s gonna BLOW.YOUR.MIND!

As if that’s not enough, though, add chopped crystallized ginger to these cookies and you’ll be doing a happy dance with every bite! I love a great ginger cookie, but crystallized ginger takes it to another level entirely. Of course the flavor is spicy and sweet, but that chew is what always gets me. It’s very addictive and satisfying!

The Ingredients in Gluten Free Caramelized White Chocolate Ginger Cookies

  • Kim’s gluten free four blend–you should be able to substitute with another high quality flour blend that contains xanthan gum, such as Cup4Cup.
  • Butter
  • Granulated sugar
  • Brown sugar
  • Caramelized white chocolate–see below for how to caramelize it in the microwave or oven
  • Crystallized ginger–I get my crystalized ginger from Paradise Fruit Co. It’s affordable and delicious!
  • Baking powder
  • Salt
  • Ground cinnamon
  • Ground nutmeg
  • Ground ginger
  • Eggs

How to Caramelize White Chocolate

You could add just plain white chocolate to these cookies if you don’t feel like caramelizing, but I’m telling ya, when you go caramelized, you’ll never go back. Caramelized white chocolate is absolutely incredible. It actually cuts that sickeningly sweet vibe down and adds a toasty, caramel-y flavor to the cookies.

To caramelize in the oven, preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Place chopped white chocolate on a small baking sheet in one layer. Heat it in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and stir. Continue this at 10-minute intervals until the chocolate is a golden brown color. It’ll look lumpy and chalky, but keep stirring and heating and it will smooth out. This can take anywhere from 30-60 minutes, depending on the amount of cocoa butter that’s in your white chocolate. Higher quality brands take less time because they have more cocoa butter.

For caramelized white chocolate in the microwave, put the chocolate in a microwave-proof bowl and heat initially for one minute on high power. Stir. Continue heating in 15-second intervals and stirring after each until caramelized. It can take numerous intervals to finally caramelize, again depending on the cocoa butter percentage.

Pour the caramelized white chocolate onto a small platter or baking sheet covered in parchment and spread it slightly into one layer that’s roughly 1/2 inch thick. It doesn’t need to be precise because you’ll be chopping it up. Set it in the freezer until solid, about 10 minutes. When solid, cut into irregular chunks.

white bowl full of caramelized white chocolate chunks

The Unusual Method for Making These Cookies

I found this to be an unusual method for making cookies because cold butter is used and there is no creaming of the butter and sugar. This is how it goes:

  • Beat cold butter just to soften it slightly.
  • Add sugars and mix together just until large crumbs or pieces form.
  • Add the chopped crystallized ginger and caramelized white chocolate chunks and mix just for 15 seconds or so, until large chunks remain.
  • Incorporate the dry ingredients until crumbly and then add the eggs, just to bind it all together, mixing for no more than 30 seconds. It’ll look very crumby.
  • Dump the dough out onto the counter and press it together with your hands. Then take large scoops of it and gently form it into rough balls. You can weigh each dough ball if you’d like, but I just estimated on mine. They’re about the size of a very large golf ball, but you can make them smaller or larger (adjusting the baking time as necessary).
  • Place the dough balls in the freezer to firm up until solid, at least 2 hours.
  • Put a baking sheet lined with parchment into the oven and preheat it to 375 degrees F.
  • Place the frozen dough balls at least 2 inches apart on the hot baking sheet. Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Make Ahead Options for Caramelized White Chocolate Ginger Cookies

Because these cookies already begin by freezing the dough, they’re definitely make ahead friendly. Just keep the dough balls in the freezer in a ziptop bag and whenever you’re ready to bake, follow the instructions for baking (from frozen).

frozen dough balls for caramelized white chocolate ginger cookies

Can the Cookies be Made Bigger or Smaller?

These cookies are pretty large as they are so I’m not sure about making them bigger. But smaller is definitely an option! Pack them into smaller balls and freeze them as directed. Bake them for only 10-12 minutes, but check at the 10-minute mark. You may have to adjust that baking time, depending on the size of your cookies.

cookies on baking sheet with container of crystallized ginger

I hope these cookies make it on your Christmas cookie baking list. They’re easy to make, can be made ahead and frozen, and are BLOW.YOUR.MIND delicious!

cookie split in two with gooey caramelized white chocolate

Gluten Free Caramelized White Chocolate Ginger Cookies

Kim
I'm partnering with Paradise Fruit Co today to bring you these AMAZING gluten free caramelized white chocolate ginger cookies. They're thick, toasty, and chewy and you're sure to love them!
4 from 3 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 16 minutes
Freezing Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 33 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 large cookies

Ingredients
 

  • cups (385 g) Kim's gluten free flour blend (Cup4Cup or another high quality flour blend could be substituted)
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • 14 tbsp (1 stick plus 6 tbsp or 198 g) butter, cold and cut into ½ inch pieces
  • ½ cup plus 2 tbsp (125 g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup plus 2 tbsp (125 g) brown sugar
  • 8 ounces (228 g) caramelized white chocolate (see within post for how to caramelize white chocolate)
  • 8 ounces (228 g) crystallized ginger, chopped
  • 2 large eggs, cold

Instructions
 

  • In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium just to break up the large chunks. You're not looking to "cream" the butter.
  • Add both sugars and beat just until large pieces or crumbs form, about 30 seconds.
  • Add the ginger and white chocolate and mix just until combined.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour blend, baking powder, salt, and spices). Add this slowly to the butter mixture and beat until crumbs form. It will look like wet sand.
  • Beat the eggs and pour into the bowl. Mix on low just until combined, about 15-30 seconds.
  • Dump the crumbs onto the counter and use your hands to pack the dough together slightly. Form irregular, large golf ball sized balls by gently packing them between your hands (don't roll them around to smooth out. They should be very rocky and irregular looking).
  • Freeze the dough balls for at least 2 hours.
  • Place a large baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat onto the middle rack of your oven and preheat the oven to 375° F. Carefully place dough balls onto hot baking sheet. Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until light golden brown.
  • Allow to cool on wire rack before serving.

Notes

Unbaked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months.  
To make smaller cookies, form dough into the size of golf balls.  Freeze as directed.  Bake for only 10-12 minutes.  
Baked cookies will keep in a lidded container at room temperature for 4-5 days.  
Keyword caramelized white chocolate, cookies, ginger, Gluten Free
Tried this recipe?Tag @letthemeatglutenfreecake on Instagram so we can see!

Adapted from Cupcake Jemma



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