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These White Chocolate Ginger Shortbread cookies have been a welcome addition to our cookies platter for the holidays for years.

Buttery, rich, melt-in-your-mouth cookies with a nice zing from candied ginger make these an excellent choice to add to your Christmas celebrations. Also, try our Candy Cane Cookies to add to that collection of must-make cookies.

White Chocolate Ginger Shortbread on a white plate with an overhead shot.

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Crystallized Ginger

Baking Sheet and Rack Set (Set of 2)

White Chocolate Chips

How to Make White Chocolate Ginger Shortbread

Ingredients for White Chocolate Ginger Shortbread

Simple ingredients for this shortbread recipe are found easily in any grocery store. Candied ginger or crystallized ginger is common, although you may not have looked for it.

Crystallized ginger, compared to candied ginger, may be a bit more sugary as it is rolled in sugar after being cooked in a simple syrup.

Ingredients

All-purpose flour

Cornstarch

Salt

Salted butter

Sugar

Brown sugar

Candied ginger

Good quality white chocolate

Preheat oven to 325F. Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch and salt. Set aside.

Using a stand-up or electric mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy.

With the mixer on low speed, add the flour in slowly and mix just until incorporated. Remove the bowl from the mixer and by hand mix in the candied ginger. You can add more than 1/2 cup of ginger if you really enjoy the flavor.

Roll the dough into 1 1/2 inch thick logs. Take a large piece of plastic wrap and wrap the logs well, refrigerate for at least one hour. At this point, you could also freeze the dough, wrap it further in foil.

Roll the log shapes as evenly as possible. This will give you a more uniform result.

Slice and lay the cookies out onto the prepared baking sheets, bake for 10-12 minutes until just golden. Cool on a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes or until completely cooled.

Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, in the microwave at 30-second intervals, and stir until melted. Dip 1/3 to 1/2 the cookie in the chocolate and on wax paper or parchment paper, let harden.

Once fully dry, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.

Overhead shot of cookies on a cooling rack

Why Do You Put Shortbread In The Fridge Before Baking?

Cookies stacked on a plate with one standing up in front

Two reasons to let shortbread rest in the refrigerator. First, refrigerating any cookie dough will then not let the cookies spread too much by chilling the butter in the dough.

Secondly, it will help meld the flavors, which is great in this cookie with the ginger.

Is Stem Ginger The Same as Glace Ginger?

Taking a bite out of White Chocolate Ginger Shortbread

Glace ginger is another name for crystallized or candied ginger. Stem ginger differs as it is usually still in the syrup, so it wouldn’t work well in a cookie recipe like this as it is moist.

Likewise, fresh ginger wouldn’t be appropriate either. You need to have the dried ginger, but if you can’t get that and you are in a pinch, you can use powder ginger to taste.

I love the sugary and zingy taste from ginger in these cookies, and if you ever have an upset stomach, a little cup of tea and one of these cookies could just be the trick to calming it down.

What Is The Difference Between Scottish Shortbread And Regular Shortbread?

Typically Scottish shortbread will have a higher butter content and a lower amount of flour.

Shortbread cookies will have higher sugar and flour than traditional Scottish shortbread and can be baked and treated differently than cookies.

Normally Scottish shortbread is scored and then cut later into pieces, and also the technique of poking it with a fork lets out the additional steam that is created from the higher butter content. These methods aren’t needed with a cookie like this.

Scottish shortbread is typically crumblier than say a cookie version.

Overhead shot of cookies on a plate with one with a bite taken

Want to have fun baking this holiday season?

Do you love holiday baking each year but need some new recipes to try to add to that cookie platter? Have you never baked before and want some fantastic recipes to try?

Whatever your reason for being here let me help you enjoy the holiday season with some yummy treats to give as gifts, serve for company or enjoy yourself.

Overhead square shot of cookies on a plate

Pin it HERE!!

Pin it HERE!!

White Chocolate Ginger Shortbread

Tara Noland

These buttery melt-in-your-mouth White Chocolate Ginger Shortbread cookies are a must for the holidays giving your taste buds a treat with zingy ginger! They are pretty with a dip of white chocolate and very simple to make.

5 from 5 votes

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Additional Time 1

Total Time 1 35

Course Cookies

Cuisine American

Servings cookies

Calories 147 kcal

Ingredients

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cornstarch
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups salted butter room temperature
6 Tbsp. sugar
6 Tbsp. tightly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup candied ginger finely chopped
8 oz. good quality white chocolate chopped

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Set aside.
Using a stand-up mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy.
Add the flour in slowly and just until incorporated. Remove the bowl from the mixer and by hand mix in the candied ginger. You can add more than 1/2 cup of ginger if you really enjoy the flavor.
Roll the dough into 1 1/2" logs, wrap well with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour. At this point, you could also freeze the dough, wrap it further in foil.
When ready to bake preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets each with parchment paper.
Slice into scant 1/4 inch thick rounds and bake for 12-15 minutes until just golden. (note it may take a little longer if the dough is very cold).
Remove the cookies from the baking sheet and cool on a cooling rack.
Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, in the microwave heat at 30-second intervals, and stir until melted.
Dip 1/3 to 1/2 the cookie in the chocolate and on wax paper or parchment paper, let harden. If your kitchen is warm you may want to put the cookies in the refrigerator to harden the chocolate.
Once fully dry, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.