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Old-Fashioned Gingersnaps

These Old-Fashioned Ginger Snap Cookies have 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.)

The Best Old-Fashioned Ginger Snap Cookies

This recipe for Ginger Snap Cookies is an authentically vintage recipe that 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 showy, 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 Sants (along with a cold glass of milk, of course!)

The Best Old-Fashioned Ginger Snap Cookies

Tips for making Old-Fashioned Gingersnap Cookies:

  • When it comes to brown sugar, you can use either dark or light brown sugar. The dark brown sugar will give it extra molasses flavor and a darker color.
  • Use all-purpose cooking molasses for this recipe. Don’t use blackstrap molasses because your cookies will turn out very bitter.
  • Don’t use the old bottles of spices that have been lingering in your pantry for years. For maximum spicy flavor, make sure your ground cloves and ground ginger are very fresh.
  • Be sure to chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least two hours. Chilling the dough ensures that the cookies don’t spread and become flat during baking, and also helps to create the desired texture. Pop the remaining dough into the freezer between batches to keep it cold.
  • To keep the cookies from getting too dark during baking, line your baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
  • Store these Old Fashioned Ginger Snap Cookies at room temperature in a container for a week or so. To keep your cookies crispy, keep them away from moisture and humidity. For longer storage, pop them in the freezer and pull them out as needed.

The Best Old-Fashioned Ginger Snap Cookies

 


I hope you try this recipe, and if you do, I hope you love it. Please let me know in the comments below.

I hope you enjoy!

My Homemade Roots

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The Best Old-Fashioned Ginger Snap Cookies

Old-Fashioned Ginger Snap Cookies


  • Author: My Homemade Roots
  • Total Time: 3 hours
  • Yield: about 3 dozen cookies 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 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

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar together. Mix in beaten egg and molasses.
  3. In a separate bowl, sift dry ingredients together.
  4. Gradually mix dry ingredients into the butter mixture until well-blended.
  5. Chill dough in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
  6. 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.
  7. 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

27 Comments

  • Sandra
    December 15, 2019 at 11:42 pm

    Thanks for the recipe! Made them for the office Christmas party and they were a hit. Will definitely make again.

    Reply
    • Kathy
      December 9, 2023 at 11:05 pm

      Wow! 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!! ❤️❤️

      Reply
      • Melissa
        December 13, 2023 at 8:29 pm

        I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe! These cookies are a family favorite for us!

        Reply
  • Lorraine
    December 15, 2019 at 11:44 pm

    These remind me of the cookies we had as children. Ginger cookies were my favorite.

    Reply
  • Kathi
    February 29, 2020 at 12:23 am

    Thank you for sharing this recipe. I have been looking for a good ginger snap cookier recipe for a long time now. Thanks for posting.

    Reply
    • Melissa
      March 1, 2020 at 7:26 pm

      You’re welcome, Kathi. I hope you like the recipe 🙂

      Reply
  • Georgianne
    April 24, 2020 at 1:38 am

    How many carbs???? Where is the Nutrional facts??

    Reply
    • Melissa
      April 24, 2020 at 2:47 am

      Thank you for your inquiry. Unfortunately, I do not provide carb or calorie counts for my recipes at this time.

      Reply
  • Diane
    July 7, 2020 at 8:05 pm

    I 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

    Reply
    • Melissa
      July 8, 2020 at 5:03 pm

      Great idea! That’s the way I make my sugar cookies. I’ll have to try it with the gingersnaps, too!

      Reply
  • Christine.
    November 9, 2020 at 1:27 am

    Is the flour all purpose or self raising?

    Reply
    • Melissa
      November 9, 2020 at 5:25 am

      Hi Christine,

      You’ll want to use all-purpose flour for this recipe.

      Reply
  • […] These White Chocolate Chip Cookies with Cranberries are sweet and buttery with just a hint of tartness. They are hands-down one of my favorite cookies to make for the holidays (but don’t wait for a holiday to make these cookies because they are delicious any time of the year!) And if you love homemade cookies as much as I do, also check out my recipe for Old-Fashioned Ginger Snap Cookies. […]

    Reply
  • Annemarie
    December 18, 2021 at 7:26 pm

    Could you cut these out like gingerbread men? I don’t want to make two different recipes.

    Reply
    • Melissa
      December 20, 2021 at 5:55 pm

      I 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.

      Reply
      • Melissa Miller
        December 10, 2023 at 12:51 am

        Best way to check is to make sure the dough is chilled for 3 hours and even pre chill cutouts right before baking.

        Reply
        • Melissa
          December 13, 2023 at 8:30 pm

          Thanks for the tip!

          Reply
  • […] 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.) […]

    Reply
  • Denise
    December 30, 2022 at 9:05 pm

    This recipie is wonderful! I’m baking them for the second time, only doubling the batch!

    Reply
    • Melissa
      January 4, 2023 at 6:26 pm

      I’m happy that you liked the cookies! They are one of my favorites!

      Reply
  • […] 2. Old-Fashioned Gingersnap Cookies […]

    Reply
  • […] Old-Fashioned Gingersnaps […]

    Reply
  • […] 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 […]

    Reply
  • Mary
    October 24, 2023 at 7:42 pm

    Oh 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!

    Reply
    • Melissa
      October 31, 2023 at 6:00 pm

      I’m so happy that you enjoyed the gingersnaps! We can go through a batch here in no time!

      Reply
  • Danielle
    November 25, 2023 at 7:24 pm

    Do you use salted or unsalted butter?

    Reply
    • Melissa
      November 25, 2023 at 9:47 pm

      I generally use salted butter. But you can use unsalted – just add an extra pinch of salt to the recipe.

      Reply

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