Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Nestled in a bin at your local grocery store, knobby, nubby ginger isn’t much to look at. But peel away that rough, papery skin and you’ll find a fiery root that will rev up any recipe it touches, from holiday cakes, cookies, and quick breads to weeknight dinners, sides, and salads to those well-deserved happy hour cocktails and refreshing non-alcoholic drinks. From fresh to dried to crystalized, here are 30 of our favorite ways to enjoy the cozy, spicy heat that ginger brings to the party.
Contents
- 1 Soft Ginger Cookies
- 2 Old Fashioned Gingerbread
- 3 Chocolate-Ginger Molasses Cookies
- 4 Gingerbread Biscotti
- 5 Gingersnap Cookies
- 6 Carrot Bundt Cake
- 7 Brown Sugar Ginger Whipped Cream
- 8 Ginger Loaf Cake
- 9 Pineapple-Ginger Upside Down Cake
- 10 Blueberry-Ginger Crumb Cake
- 11 Gingered Peach Galette
- 12 Ginger-Plum Slump
- 13 Carrot Cake Cheesecake
- 14 Ginger Sweet Potato Pie
- 15 Ginger-Maple-Amber Pie
- 16 Honey-Garlic Chicken
- 17 Carrot-Ginger Dressing
- 18 Chicken Noodle Bowl with Peanut-Ginger Sauce
- 19 Ginger Ale Can Chicken
- 20 Slow-Cooker Ginger, Sweet Tea, and Whiskey Short Ribs
- 21 Gingered Cranberry Sauce
- 22 Ginger Carrots
- 23 Strawberry-Avocado with Sesame-Ginger Dressing
- 24 Ginger Rogers Cocktail
- 25 Gingered Toddy
- 26 Ginger-Honey Sweet Tea
- 27 Dark and Stormy Cocktail
- 28 Shoo-Fly Punch
- 29 Cranberry Mules
- 30 Gingerbread Martini
Soft Ginger Cookies
Smoother than their crinkly cousins, these ginger-spiced cookies are great with coffee or a cup of hot tea.
Old Fashioned Gingerbread
Emily Laurae
Simply dusted with powdered sugar and served with fresh whipped cream, gingerbread is cozier than a crackling fire on a cold day.
Chocolate-Ginger Molasses Cookies
Chocolate is a lovely flavor partner for ginger—the creamy richness balances ginger’s slow-burning spice.
Gingerbread Biscotti
Dipped in white chocolate, these spicy gingerbread biscotti are perfect with your morning coffee.
Gingersnap Cookies
Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox
These crinkle cookies are like a culinary magic trick—they go into the oven as round balls, then bake into these sugar-crusted gingery marvels.
Carrot Bundt Cake
Carrots and ginger are flavor BFFs—this pretty cake is proof! The chopped crystallized ginger takes it over the top.
Brown Sugar Ginger Whipped Cream
Yes, plain whipped cream is perfectly delicious, but add a touch of ginger to spice things up.
Ginger Loaf Cake
Christopher Testani, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Whether you want to serve it for breakfast or dessert, this ginger-packed cake will fit the bill.
Pineapple-Ginger Upside Down Cake
Faintly spicy, ginger is a nice addition to pineapple desserts like this quick-and-easy upside down cake.
Blueberry-Ginger Crumb Cake
Ginger and streusel go together like peas and carrots. Ginger adds a subtle spiciness that makes it delicious no matter the season.
Gingered Peach Galette
You’ll definitely want to keep this recipe on hand for peach season—the addition of ginger is quite magical.
Ginger-Plum Slump
A cousin of cobbler, this stovetop “slump” is easy and has a double punch of ginger in the filling and the crumbly topping.
Carrot Cake Cheesecake
Ginger is just the right spice to balance the richness of this dreamy cheesecake.
Ginger Sweet Potato Pie
Ginger livens up the sweet earthiness of sweet potatoes and adds a little zip to this honey-sweetened whipped cream topping.
Ginger-Maple-Amber Pie
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
Calling all ginger lovers—this tasty meringue-topped pie is filled with a maple-sweetened ginger custard.
Honey-Garlic Chicken
Victor Protashio; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Christine Keely
Sweet, spicy, and delicious, this go-to weeknight chicken dish owes its big flavor to plenty of ginger.
Carrot-Ginger Dressing
Zippy ginger, rice vinegar and sweet carrots come together in this sweet-and-spicy salad dressing.
Chicken Noodle Bowl with Peanut-Ginger Sauce
Ginger adds a kick of heat to the dressing for this quick-fix dinner bowl.
Ginger Ale Can Chicken
Forget the beer can…use spicy ginger ale to flavor this chicken from the inside out.
Slow-Cooker Ginger, Sweet Tea, and Whiskey Short Ribs
Did we throw everything but the kitchen sink in this slow-cooker recipe? Yes. Is it downright delicious? You better believe it.
Gingered Cranberry Sauce
Christopher Testani, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Dress up your Thanksgiving spread with this easy cranberry sauce spiked with ginger and orange.
Ginger Carrots
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Melissa Gray; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
Also known as “copper pennies,” this sweet and spicy side dish showcases the flavor love affair shared by spicy ginger and sweet carrots.
Strawberry-Avocado with Sesame-Ginger Dressing
Creamy avocado and sweet-tart strawberries play wonderfully with the nutty ginger dressing in this pretty salad.
Ginger Rogers Cocktail
Christopher Testani, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Pepped up with grapefruit and fresh ginger, this gin-based cocktail will make you want to put on your dancing shoes.
Gingered Toddy
Frederick Hardy II; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Mat Gibilisco
Infused with ginger-honey syrup, this bourbon-based toddy will warm you right up.
Ginger-Honey Sweet Tea
A little heat from fresh ginger adds a zippy twist to classic sweetened ice tea.
Dark and Stormy Cocktail
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Crowned with a floater of dark rum and a lime wedge, this ginger beer cocktail is rumored to ward off pending summer thunderclouds.
Shoo-Fly Punch
Ginger beer, ginger liqueur, and plenty of bourbon power this refreshing summertime punch.
Cranberry Mules
Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Christine Keely
This festive riff on a Moscow Mule keeps the classic ginger beer but doubles down on the ginger with a splash of ginger liqueur.
Gingerbread Martini
Smooth, creamy, and spicy, these dessert cocktails are one of our favorite ginger-flavored treats.
