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 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. 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 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!
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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
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup light baking molasses (NOT blackstrap molasses. Please see note 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
- 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.
Notes
I have gotten a few comments on this recipe that these cookies have too much molasses flavor. Of course, it comes down to personal preference, but I think the amount of molasses flavor in these cookies is just perfect IF you use the right kind of molasses. You MUST avoid using blackstrap molasses, as this will give the cookies a bitter flavor. The correct type of molasses is light, unsulphured (or unsulfured) molasses. It is also sometimes called baking molasses. I prefer to use Grandma’s molasses in this recipe and all of my baking recipes.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Inactive Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
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.