A classic holiday cookie, these chewy gingersnaps are soft but crunchy, with that hint of burnt sweetness that makes them irresistible. Roll them in sugar, and they create a wonderful crackly surface while baking! They keep and travel well.
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Thinner or chewier?
Cookie baking season is upon us, and ginger is among the most popular flavors.
Decades ago, I fell in love with these chewy gingersnaps the minute I made them.
I decided then and there that ginger with molasses was one of my top favorite flavor combinations. And that hasn't changed and translated to these fresh ginger cookies and gingerbread. That sweet spiciness is unparalleled, don't you agree?
These fantastic ginger cookies have a crackly top, crunchy texture and chewy middle.
I give two options when it comes to the flour amount: you can make thinner or thicker, chewier cookies. It's all in the recipe card towards the end of this post.
Ingredient Notes
Quantities are listed in the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
- Molasses: one of the main ingredients, adds a slight bitterness that pair amazingly well with the spices and honey. Use unsulphured molasses (light or dark depending on how strong you want it). We don't recommend blackstrap molasses as it makes the cookies too bitter.
- Honey: I like to add a tablespoon of honey because it sweetens the cookies enough to balance the other sharp flavors. And it adds moisture.
- Spices: finding the right mix is essential for achieving the best ginger cookie. This recipe used ground ginger, cinnamon and allspice. For use it's the perfect cookie, but do adjust it to your personal taste if necessary.
- Brown sugar: light or dark.
- Baking soda: make sure it isn't expired.
Variations & substitutions
- Flour amount: you can use a little more flour (it's all explained below and in the recipe card) and get a cookie with a crunchy texture all-around and soft center.
- Sugar: you can make these cookies with part white sugar.
- Spices: use other spices or add a new one to the ones in this recipe, like black pepper or cloves. Always adapt recipes to your palate. It might take some tries but it's worth it in my opinion.
- Extra ginger: add some chopped crystallized ginger to the dough. It adds a spicier bite.
How to make gingersnaps
- Cookie dough: it's a one-bowl recipe, extremely easy, and you might want to use an electric mixer, but it can also be mixed by hand.
- Baking the cookies: the dough balls are coated in sugar and then placed with space in between them (1.5 to 2 inches) as they expand quite a lot during baking.
Flour amount variation
I made two sets of gingersnaps changing the amount of flour, not by much, but the results were different. The difference is not huge but enough to make a comment. You'll find both options in the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Largest amount of flour: the cookies are like the photos in this post. Thicker cookies with more crust and a chewy inside.
- Lesser amount of flour: the cookies are much moister as the crust is thinner. It's a more even cookie inside and out.
How to store gingersnaps
- Room temperature: they last several days in a cookie jar or tin.
- Refrigerator: you can make the balls of dough and keep them in the fridge, wrapped, for 2-3 days before baking. Roll them in sugar just before baking.
- Freezer: you can freeze the baked cookies in a zip loc bag or well-wrapped. For unbaked cookies, you can make the balls, put them in the freezer until solid, and then transfer to a bag so you fill less space in the freezer.
Related recipes you might like:
Gingersnap Cookies (easy and chewy)
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Cookie baking season is upon us and any recipe with ginger and molasses is welcomed in this house. We love these simple gingersnaps, soft but crunchy, with that hint of burnt sweetness that makes them addictive. Roll them in sugar and they'll create a wonderful surface as they crack open while baking!
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup white sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar, light or dark
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons molasses
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, or 1 ¾ cups + 2 tablespoons for thinner cookies, see Notes below
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 to 2 teaspoons ground ginger, see Notes below
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup sugar, for rolling cookies
Instructions
- Turn on the oven at 350°F (180ºC). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat 6 tablespoons unsalted butter adding ½ cup white sugar and ½ cup brown sugar gradually until creamy.
- Add 1 egg and beat until smooth. Add 3 tablespoons molasses, 1 tablespoon honey and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract and mix well.
- Sift 2 cups all-purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, 1 to 2 teaspoons ground ginger, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice and ⅛ teaspoon salt and add to the butter mixture in 2 or 3 parts, mixing until well integrated. I do this part with a spatula, but it's a stiff dough so if you use the electric mixer, do so at the lowest speed and just until combined.
- Put ⅓ cup sugar in a shallow bowl. Take walnut-sized portions of cookie dough and roll between your hands to make balls. A cookie scoop is great for making even-sized cookies.
- Roll in the sugar, coating them completely, trying to maintain the round shape. Place them on the prepared baking sheets, separated by an inch or more.
- Bake for about 12 minutes, until puffed and cracked.
- Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. (I smack the cookie sheet on the counter as soon as it's out of the oven so that the cookies flatten immediately and the bottoms are easier to remove. But it's not mandatory).
- Let them cool completely on a wire cooking rack before removing them with a spatula.
- Store in tins or cookie jars with tight fitting lids.
Notes
Flour: use 2 cups of flour if you want thicker cookies, and the lesser amount if you want thinner cookies.
Molasses and honey: one of the main ingredients is molasses which adds a slight bitterness that goes amazingly well with the spices and honey. I like to add a tablespoon of honey because it sweetens the cookies enough to balance the other sharp flavors. And it adds moisture. If you like even sweeter cookies, use 2 tablespoons of each (4 in total).
Spices: finding the right mix is essential for achieving the best ginger cookie. This recipe for me is perfect, but do adjust it to your personal taste if necessary.
Brown sugar: it adds moisture and a necessary caramel undertone that complements the rest of the ingredients. You can use white sugar if that's all you have.
Did you try this recipe?Mention @vintagekitchennotes or tag #vintagekitchenrecipe on Instagram and I'll share it!
Janette says
Great cookie recipe and I made them for the first time. My favorite cookie of all time!! Thank you.
Kerry (from Australia) says
Very sweet, next time I will reduce sugar to 1/3 cup of white and 1/3 cup brown. . maybe even more? But the flavour is very nice.
I had to add extra flour as mixture was too soft to roll into balls, at least another 1/4 cup. But then, my measurement of the treacle ( didn't have molasses) was generous 😇. Highly recommend.
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Kerry! Treacle tends to be less bitter and sweeter than molasses, which might account for the cookies being sweeter than you expected.
George says
i tried this recipe because i haven't had a a good ginger cookie since I was a kid.It was fantastic and friends and family won't let me stop making them.they are fantastic.
Paula Montenegro says
So happy to know they were such a hit George!
George says
Comments from friends and family say these are the best gingersnap cookies and maybe the best cookies they have ever eaten.
Paula Montenegro says
This comment made my day George! Did you bake thinner or thicker cookies?
Natalie says
Gingersnap cookies are one of my favorite Christmas cookies. I love your recipe. COokies look fantastic. The texture is amazing and I bet they test delicious. I can't wait to give your recipe a try.
Sam says
YES! I am so excited for cookie season. This looks like the perfect cookie to start with. Pinning to bake next week.
Debra says
Love the ingredient tag "a whole lotta spices" cuz that's exactly what these taste like. Delish.
Tara says
Ginger Snaps always remind me of the Holidays! These cookies turned out so chewy and delicious. Thanks for this recipe.
Jacqueline Debono says
Your step by step videos are brilliant! These gingersnap cookies turned out perfect! Gingersnaps have long been my favourite cookies so, I'm thrilled I could make them myself!
Chef Dennis says
I made a batch of your gingersnaps this afternoon and they were ah-mazing! Thanks for such an easy and delicious recipe
Jenny says
These cookies are really delicious. It was my first time making ginger snap cookies and loved your recipe. You explained everything so well and it was a breeze to make them. Everyone loved them, not many left! Thanks so much for this recipe!
Sharon says
These gingersnap cookies are so easy to make that they will be on my holiday cookie rotation for sure!
Eva says
I completely agree with you: the ginger and molasses combo is really fantastic. I also love the fact that these biscuits are coated in sugar before baking. Can't say if I love more the added sweetness or the glittery effect.
Gloria says
I think everyone has a variation of this recipe. Great for the holiday treat tray. I enjoy them all year long. Pefect with coffee and tea.
angiesrecipes says
They are thick and chewy...just exactly how I love my ginger cookies.