This recipe for gingersnap cookies makes the most delicious cookies. They are crisp on the outside but soft and chewy on the inside because we use molasses. These cookies take just 10 mins to prep and 10 minutes to bake a batch. Perfect to add to your holiday cookies platter.
Table of Content
Have you made your list of holiday cookies for Christmas? Well, you can use mine and these are definitely one of our favorites on the list.
What are gingersnap cookies?
Gingersnaps are ginger cookies with a wonderful snap! Meaning they are crisp on the outside but soft and chewy on the inside. These are butter-based molasses cookies with a strong flavor of ground ginger. The difference between the molasses cookies and gingersnap is their crispness on the outside.
Why make these cookies?
- These gingersnap cookies have a wonderful taste. They are crisp on the outside but soft and chewy texture on the inside with a wonderful flavor of molasses and warm spices.
- I use an electric mixer (stand mixer) but you can also use just a medium mixing bowl and whisk.
- And most of the ingredients are simple pantry staples or easy to find such as molasses.
- Also, kids love these cookies. So make sure to double the batch or save some in freeze bags. The unbaked cookie dough balls will keep frozen for up to a month and the baked cookies will keep frozen for up to a month.
- In addition, they make perfect Christmas gifts to give family and friends during the holiday season. Once baked and cooled completely, transfer them to a holiday gift jar or container and tie a pretty bow.
Ingredients and substitutions
- All-purpose flour - The amount of flour in the recipe will determine how dense the cookies will be. So, make sure to measure the ingredients correctly.
- Fat - I love using all butter, but traditionally gingersnap is made with half ginger and half shortening or all-vegetable shortening.
- Sugar - The combination of white and brown sugars is what gives us that soft on the inside and crisp on the outside cookie. If you want more soft, use darker brown and less white sugar.
- Egg - I use just one egg yolk to prevent these cookies from spreading too much.
- Ginger - These cookies have a strong flavor of ginger with their snap. I am using 2 teaspoons of ground ginger but you can use more or less depending on your preference.
- Spices - Today I am using a good teaspoon of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. And yet, you can also use a pumpkin spice mix or gingerbread spice mix. They both go well with molasses.
- Molasses - Use unsulphured molasses. I like to use dark molasses. Since light molasses just does not give it enough molasses flavor. And if you want to add more molasses, just replace ¼ cup brown sugar with ¼ cup molasses.
Gingersnap cookies
- Dry ingredients - In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and spices, - and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, on medium speed, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract. Followed by the flour mixture. Combine well over low speed but do not overmix.
Pro tip - We do not want to activate the gluten in our dough. So do not overmix. Otherwise, the cookies will spread too much. - Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.
Pro tip - The cookie dough can be refrigerated for a week or frozen for up to a month.
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 177°C / Gas Mark 4 and line a sheet pan or two baking sheets with silicone or parchment paper.
- Using a cookie scoop, or two tablespoons amount of cookie dough, make golf size balls about 1.5 to 2-inch balls. Then, coat the cookie dough balls in the white granulated sugar.
Pro tip - You can also make the cookie dough balls and freeze them for up to a month in a freezer bag.
- Place on the baking tray, making sure to leave space for them to spread. Bake in a preheated oven for 8 to 9 minutes until the top is cracked.
Pro tip - Larger cookies will take about 10 minutes and vise versa. - Cool on a cookie tray for 5 minutes. Then, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before you transfer to a cookie jar.
Tips for Success
- Always have all the ingredients at room temperature so the butter and sugar can cream until light and fluffy.
- Rest the dough before rolling the cookies. Resting helps the butter firm up again which makes it easier to work and prevents spreading.
- And if the cookie dough is too soft, put it back in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Chilling the cookie dough will prevent spreading.
- Preheat the oven for a good 15 minutes making sure the oven is at the right temperature. A cold oven will spread the cookies.
- Also, it is a good practice to place cookies in the fridge while the oven is preheating to prevent them from spreading.
- When baked, leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then, transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. This will prevent them from sweating on the bottom.
More cookie recipes
- Classic chocolate chip cookies or Everyday chocolate chip cookies
- Christmas Spritz Cookies or Christmas Star Cookies
- Gingerbread Snowflake Cookies or Gingerbread Sugar Cookies
- Classic Gingerbread cake or Gingerbread Cupcakes
- Spiced Gingerbread Loaf Cake
- The Best Molasses Cookies and Ginger molasses cookies
- Shortbread with Molasses
- See all holiday cookies or all cookie recipes
How long will these gingersnaps keep?
These cookies will keep at room temperature for up to a week.
What is the difference between the gingersnap cookies and the molasses cookies?
Both are very similar cookies with similar ingredients but in different ratios. The difference between the molasses cookies and gingersnap are:
- Molasses cookies are thicker, softer, and chewy both out and inside.
And they have a slight hint of ginger. But, gingersnaps are thinner, they are crisp on the outside with a snap but soft on the inside and a strong flavor of ginger.
What is the substitute for molasses?
You can substitute molasses with equal parts of honey, dark corn syrup, or maple syrup. You can also use ¾ cup of dark brown sugar for every 1 cup of molasses. Having said that, molasses has a distinct taste and flavor which you will not get from honey, corn syrup, or maple syrup. These will give you a similar texture but not the same taste.
How to freeze these cookies?
You can freeze the cookie dough for up to a month. You can also freeze the cookie dough balls in freezer bags for up to 3 months. The baked cookies will keep in the freezer for up to a month.
Printable Recipe
Gingersnap Cookies
Print Pin Rate Share by Email Share on FB Save Grow Coooking Temperature: 350°F/ 177°C / Gas Mark 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 200kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 20 cookies
Description
This recipe for gingersnap cookies makes the most delicious crisp on the outside but soft and chewy cookies because we use molasses. These cookies take just 10 mins to prep and 10 minutes to bake a batch. Perfect to add to your holiday cookies platter
Video
Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Ingredients
Cookie dough
- ¾ cup (170 g) Butter
- ¾ cup (150 g) White sugar
- ¼ cup (60 ml) Molasses
- 1 Egg
- 2 cups (250 g) All-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
For coating
- ½ cup (100 g) Granulated sugar (for coating )
Instructions
- Dry ingredients - In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and spices, - and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, on medium speed, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract. Followed by the flour mixture. Combine well over low speed but do not overmix. Pro tip - We do not want to activate the gluten in our dough. So do not overmix. Otherwise, the cookies will spread too much.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let chill in the fridge for 15 minutes. Pro tip - The cookie dough can be refrigerated for a week or frozen for up to a month.
- Preheat oven at 350°F / 177°C / Gas Mark 4 and line a sheet pan or two baking sheets with silicone or parchment paper.
- Using a cookie scoop, or two tablespoons amount of cookie dough, make golf size balls about 1.5 to 2-inch balls. Then, coat the cookie dough balls in the white granulated sugar. Pro tip - You can also make the cookie dough balls and freeze them for up to a month in a freezer bag.
- Place on the baking tray, making sure to leave space for them to spread. Bake in a preheated oven for 8 to 9 minutes until the top is cracked. Pro tip - Larger cookies will take about 10 minutes and vise versa.
- Cool on a cookie tray for 5 minutes. Then, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before you transfer to a cookie jar.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Always have all the ingredients at room temperature so the butter and sugar can cream until light and fluffy.
- Rest the dough before rolling the cookies. Resting helps the butter firm up again which makes it easier to work and prevents spreading
- If the cookie dough is too soft, put it back in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Chilling the cookie dough will prevent spreading
- Preheat the oven for a good 15 minutes making sure the oven is at the right temperature. A cold oven will spread the cookies.
- It is a good practice to place cookies in the fridge while the oven is preheating to prevent them from spreading.
- When baked leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. This will prevent them from sweating on the bottom.
Bake Ahead and Freezing Instructions
- Dough - You can freeze the dough for 3 months wrapped well in a ziplock bag. Then, thaw in the fridge overnight when ready to use.
- Unbaked cookies - And, you can also freeze the baked cookies dough balls in freezer bags. They will stay for up to a month.
- Baked cookies - Alternatively, freeze the baked cookies between parchment papers for up to 3 months and thaw in the fridge overnight when ready to use.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 200- kcalCarbohydrates: 26- gProtein: 4- gFat: 9- gSaturated Fat: 6- gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0- gMonounsaturated Fat: 0- gTrans Fat: 0- gCholesterol: 35- mgSodium: 120- mgPotassium: 0- mgFiber: 1- gSugar: 12- gVitamin A: 0- IUVitamin C: 0- mgCalcium: 0- mgIron: 0- mg
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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Mindee Taylor
I love gingersnaps! They always make me think of my great grandpa! This recipe brought back lots of good memories!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Mindee. Happy to hear that you enjoyed these.
USHNA
Can EGG be omitted in this recipe or please suggest alternative.
Veena Azmanov
These are better with eggs. Perhaps you can check for an eggless gingersnap cookie recipe. Sorry.
Claudia Lamascolo
We love these flavors! These sound so delicious and easy to make I am sure we will love this!
Tawnie Kroll
So soft and chewy, this is our go-to recipe! Thank you!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Tawnie.
Joyce
My house smelled fabulous after making these! Thank you so much for this recipe!
Veena Azmanov
You are very welcome Joyce.
Julie
One of my favorite cookies. They just make you think of the Holidays and sharing cookies with friends. Going on my "must bake" list.