Best Old-Fashioned Gingersnap Cookies
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 is 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 (or white sugar) – Brown sugar adds a caramel-like flavor and moisture that complements the warm spices beautifully. Use light or dark brown sugar (dark has a deeper flavor). For crispier, store-bought-style gingersnaps, substitute half or all of the brown sugar with white granulated sugar.
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. For these gingersnap cookies, you will want to use baking molasses, also called light unsulphured molasses. 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 coarser 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. 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]
- 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!
If you try this recipe for Old-Fashioned 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!
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Best Old-Fashioned Gingersnap Cookies
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: about 3 dozen cookies
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 (Or use white sugar for a crispier cookie. See notes below.)
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup light baking molasses (NOT blackstrap molasses. See notes below.)
- 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
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and molasses until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, ground ginger, and ground cloves.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing until just combined.
- Cover and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Scoop the dough using a teaspoon or small cookie scoop and roll into 1½-inch balls. Roll each ball in granulated sugar, then place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Gently flatten each ball slightly with your palm or the bottom of a glass.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes, until the cookies are set but not browned. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
For crispier gingersnaps: Replace half or all of the brown sugar with white granulated sugar, and bake an extra 1-2 minutes for maximum crispness.
A quick note on molasses: Use regular or robust molasses, not blackstrap. I find blackstrap too strong and bitter for these cookies – it overwhelms the ginger and spices. Regular molasses gives you that deep, sweet flavor without the bitterness. I like Grandma’s unsulphured molasses or something similar.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
Love gingersnap cookies, this is the best I have found and enjoyed the most. I have passed your receipt to friends, if I say its good, its good!! Thank you
Thank you for the kind words! I’m so happy you like the recipe! Stop by again soon!
You should change your recipe to have the oven turned on AFTER you are ready to put the cookies in the oven. Otherwise your oven is on for 3 HOURS!!
Thank you so much for pointing this out! You’re absolutely right – I’ve updated the recipe so the oven preheating step now comes after the chilling time. I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know about this. It’s an old recipe and that was definitely an oversight on my part. The instructions should make much more sense now!
Have you ever tried using fresh ginger for a hotter ginger flavor?
I have never tried it. Let me know how it turns out if you do!
Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe! These take me back to my childhood. Easy recipe to follow and straight forward ingredients.
Love this recipe and your notes. Would you top them with anything?
They are perfect just plain, but you could drizzle them in some white chocolate to make them look more festive.
Excellent. I used a 1″ cookie scoop coz I like my cookies small. DELICIOUS tyfs
Old-fashioned Gingersnaps are the best. They bring back the best holiday memories…these look perfect!
Thank you! They are one of my favorites. I hope you give them a try!
I followed this exact recipe, but my cookies came out tasting bitter How come?
I am not sure. Yours is the first comment I have had like this. Did you possibly use blackstrap molasses? I do warn in the recipe not to use blackstrap molasses because it is quite strong and bitter. I recommend using a lighter molasses like Grandma’s Molasses.
Hi: Would it be okay to make the dough the night before and leave it in the fridge until you start baking the next AM? Thank you.
Sure, you can make the dough the night before. It might be a little stiff when you first remove it from the fridge. If so, just allow it to sit a room temperature for a few minutes.