These Old-Fashioned Gingersnap Cookies have a crispy snap and a festive, ginger-spiced bite, combined with a rich molasses cookie flavor. They’re perfect to serve as a Christmas cookie, but they’re good any time of year – especially with a cup of tea or coffee for dipping. And because they freeze so well, I like to stash a few batches in the freezer and pull them out throughout the holiday season when I need them. {And if you’re looking for holiday cookie recipes, check out my recipe for Key Lime Snowball Cookies.}
This recipe for Ginger Snap Cookies is an heirloom recipe I’ve been using for many years. It’s a tried and true family favorite. And while it’s true that these cookies are not fancy, the flavor is amazing. And truth be told, I am rather fond of their simplicity. These Gingersnaps are just the kind of cookie that you can imagine putting out on a plate for Santa (along with a cold glass of milk, of course!)
Ingredients for Old-Fashioned Gingersnaps
(The full list of ingredients and measurements are listed in the recipe card below.)
Butter – I use salted butter, but unsalted is fine, too. If using unsalted butter, you may want to add an extra pinch of salt. Don’t use margarine because real butter adds richness and good flavor. The fat in butter also helps achieve a perfectly crisp yet melt-in-your-mouth texture when baked. Make sure your butter is softened so it easily blends with the sugar.
Brown Sugar – Brown sugar adds a caramel-like flavor to gingersnaps. The molasses in brown sugar also contributes moisture, helping to give the cookies the right texture and also complements the flavor of the warm spices. You can use either light or brown sugar. Dark brown sugar will have a deeper, more robust flavor.
Egg – A large egg is what you will need to make these cookies.
Molasses – Molasses is an important ingredient in gingersnaps, providing a robust, slightly bitter sweetness that complements the warming spices. You will want to use light or dark unsulphured molasses for these gingersnap cookies. I would avoid using blackstrap molasses as it will give the cookies a bitter flavor. I like Grandma’s Original Molasses for my baking. [affiliate link]
All-Purpose Flour – Just plain flour is what you will need.
Salt – Salt enhances the flavor of the other ingredients and helps balance the sweetness. A small amount of salt brings out the depth of the spices, making the gingersnaps more flavorful.
Baking Soda – This is the leavening agent that helps the cookies spread and rise slightly while baking. It also reacts with the acidic molasses to produce the perfect texture, creating a light yet crisp finish.
Ground Ginger – Dried ground ginger is the star spice in gingersnap cookies, giving them their signature warm, slightly peppery flavor.
Ground Cloves – Another spice that adds a touch of warmth and depth to the flavor profile. The sweet, spicy notes complement the ginger and molasses, giving the gingersnaps a rich, complex taste.
Granulated Sugar – This sugar is for rolling the cookie dough balls in before baking. You can use regular fine granulated sugar, or use a more coarse sugar for added texture.
Tips for making Old-Fashioned Gingersnap Cookies:
- Use Room Temperature Butter. Softened butter (not melted) blends more easily with the sugars, ensuring a smooth dough that holds its shape. It also helps the cookies achieve that crisp, delicate texture.
- Don’t use old spices. Ground spices like ginger, cloves, and cinnamon can lose potency over time, so using fresh, high-quality spices will ensure you bake the most flavorful cookies.
- Don’t Overmix the Dough. When adding the dry ingredients to the wet ones, mix just until combined. Overmixing can make the cookies tough, so stop once everything is incorporated.
- Chill the Dough. After mixing the dough, chill it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Chilling the dough ensures that the cookies don’t spread too much and become flat during baking. Pop the remaining dough into the freezer between batches to keep it cold.
- Roll in Sugar for Extra Crispness. Rolling the dough balls in granulated sugar before baking adds a nice crunchy texture to the outside of the cookies. It also gives them a lovely, sparkly finish.
- Bake on a Parchment-Lined Baking Sheet or silicone mat. This ensures even baking and prevents the cookies from sticking to the pan, allowing them to crisp up nicely without burning on the bottom. I like these Amazon Basics baking mats [affiliate link]
- Don’t Overbake. For crispy gingersnaps with a snap, be careful not to overbake them. The cookies should look slightly soft in the center when you take them out of the oven. They’ll firm up as they cool, giving you the perfect crunch without being too hard
- To Store Gingersnap Cookies – Once baked, store gingersnaps in an airtight container to keep them fresh and crispy for a week or so. If they lose some of their crispness, you can pop them in a 300°F oven for a few minutes to restore the snap. Pop them in the freezer for longer storage and pull them out as needed.
My Best Old-Fashioned Gingersnap Cookies are the perfect blend of warmth, spice, and crispness, making them the perfect treat for any occasion. Whether you’re baking for the holidays or simply craving a classic dessert, these cookies will surely bring comfort and joy to your home. Enjoy them with a cup of tea, share them with loved ones, or savor them on your own—either way, they’re sure to become a favorite in your recipe collection!
Be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for more homemade recipes. If you try this recipe for gingersnaps, I’d love to hear how it turned out for you! Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to rate the recipe—it helps others discover it too!
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links, which means I will earn a commission at no additional cost to you if you click through and make a purchase.
PrintBest Old-Fashioned Gingersnap Cookies
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: about 3 dozen cookies 1x
Description
These Old-Fashioned Gingersnap Cookies are crispy with a satisfying snap, full of warm ginger and molasses flavor. The perfect balance of sweetness and spice makes them an irresistible holiday treat or everyday favorite!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar, for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar together. Mix in beaten egg and molasses.
- In a separate bowl, sift dry ingredients together.
- Gradually mix dry ingredients into the butter mixture until well-blended.
- Chill dough in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
- Use a teaspoon or small cookie scoop to scoop small pieces of dough and roll into 1 ½-inch balls. Roll balls in sugar and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet, flattening each ball slightly.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes. The cookies should be cooked through without getting browned. Allow to cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Inactive Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
32 Comments
Sandra
December 15, 2019 at 11:42 pmThanks for the recipe! Made them for the office Christmas party and they were a hit. Will definitely make again.
Kathy
December 9, 2023 at 11:05 pmWow! These are delicious!! I’m so glad I found this recipe! Store bought don’t hold a candle to these and they are a ridiculous price right now!! Thank you for sharing this recipe!! ❤️❤️
★★★★★
Melissa
December 13, 2023 at 8:29 pmI’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe! These cookies are a family favorite for us!
Lorraine
December 15, 2019 at 11:44 pmThese remind me of the cookies we had as children. Ginger cookies were my favorite.
Kathi
February 29, 2020 at 12:23 amThank you for sharing this recipe. I have been looking for a good ginger snap cookier recipe for a long time now. Thanks for posting.
Melissa
March 1, 2020 at 7:26 pmYou’re welcome, Kathi. I hope you like the recipe 🙂
Georgianne
April 24, 2020 at 1:38 amHow many carbs???? Where is the Nutrional facts??
Melissa
April 24, 2020 at 2:47 amThank you for your inquiry. Unfortunately, I do not provide carb or calorie counts for my recipes at this time.
Diane
July 7, 2020 at 8:05 pmI was a cook/baker in the army 1978 to 1982 and was shown a quick way to make those cookies.
The dough should be rolled into a log about 1” round and cut with a sharp knife about 1 1/2”long or however big you want the cookies to be then roll into balls then roll in sugar and flatten out a little with a glass
Melissa
July 8, 2020 at 5:03 pmGreat idea! That’s the way I make my sugar cookies. I’ll have to try it with the gingersnaps, too!
Christine.
November 9, 2020 at 1:27 amIs the flour all purpose or self raising?
Melissa
November 9, 2020 at 5:25 amHi Christine,
You’ll want to use all-purpose flour for this recipe.
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Annemarie
December 18, 2021 at 7:26 pmCould you cut these out like gingerbread men? I don’t want to make two different recipes.
Melissa
December 20, 2021 at 5:55 pmI really don’t know for sure because I haven’t tried it. It could possibly work, but I hate to say yes and then have the recipe not work for you. If you do try it, though, please let me know if it works out.
Melissa Miller
December 10, 2023 at 12:51 amBest way to check is to make sure the dough is chilled for 3 hours and even pre chill cutouts right before baking.
Melissa
December 13, 2023 at 8:30 pmThanks for the tip!
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December 6, 2022 at 3:05 am[…] These Old-Fashioned Iced Sugar cookies are a family favorite that reminds me of my childhood. They taste like the simple, delicious sugar cookies I grew up with. Just like mom and grandma made. The dough for these cookies is a rolled dough that is perfect for holiday cutout cookies. And the icing is an easy powdered sugar icing that makes decorating these sugar cookies easy and fun for both adults and children. (And if you love homemade cookies, check out my recipe for Old-Fashioned Gingersnaps.) […]
Denise
December 30, 2022 at 9:05 pmThis recipie is wonderful! I’m baking them for the second time, only doubling the batch!
★★★★★
Melissa
January 4, 2023 at 6:26 pmI’m happy that you liked the cookies! They are one of my favorites!
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August 29, 2023 at 10:55 pm[…] are concerns with that, I suggest leaving out the walnuts or making another type of cookie like my Old-Fashioned Gingersnaps, or White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies. And just to be safe, I like to put a label on my cookie […]
Mary
October 24, 2023 at 7:42 pmOh my goodness…these are amazingly good! I love the robust flavors and I am so glad I doubled the recipe because they will not be lasting very long at all…my grandkids and I are gobbling them up! The only thing I added was some additional cinnamon. Thanks so much for fulfilling my ginger craving today!
★★★★★
Melissa
October 31, 2023 at 6:00 pmI’m so happy that you enjoyed the gingersnaps! We can go through a batch here in no time!
Danielle
November 25, 2023 at 7:24 pmDo you use salted or unsalted butter?
Melissa
November 25, 2023 at 9:47 pmI generally use salted butter. But you can use unsalted – just add an extra pinch of salt to the recipe.
Esme
May 16, 2024 at 4:39 pmWOW, have been hunting for ginger SNAPS for a while. Tell me, is this one crunchy, if so I am going to try it
I visited you via Full Plate Thursday. My entries are numbered #36+37.
Please join SSPS: M-S https://esmesalon.com/tag/seniorsalonpitstop/
★★★★★
Melissa
May 16, 2024 at 4:45 pmYew! They are crunchy! I hope you give them a try. If you do, please let me know how they turned out.
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Esme
October 24, 2024 at 4:41 pmLooking so incredibly good, love ginger snaps. As you say “snaps” I take it that they are crispy. Please let me know, then I can add them to our baking list for Christmas, as I am looking for a crispy snap cookie.
Saw your post at Full Plate Thursday.
My entries this week are numbered #2+3
Come and join us weekly at https://esmesalon.com/tag/seniorsalonpitstop/
★★★★★
Melissa Lynn
October 28, 2024 at 6:05 amYes, they are crispy! Let me know if you try them.