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With a crisp bite and plenty of flavor from ground ginger and rich molasses, these gingersnap cookies are a holiday staple that everyone will love.
My husband has an obsession with store-bought cookies. The thinner and crispier, the better. Needless to say, it can sometimes be a little blow to this baker’s ego when he’ll gladly pass up a pan of freshly baked cookies for their pre-packaged counterpart.
I’ve spent countless hours trying to perfect a homemade version of his favorite chocolate chip cookies. Doing research, making copycat recipes that I found online… and they’re just never the same.
Fine, fine, more of my favorite chocolate chip cookies for myself, I guess.
When the holidays come around, it’s not unusual for him to come home from the market with a bag or two full of festive cookies. Gingersnaps, chocolate crinkles and the mint version of his all-time favorites.
I mean seriously, our house will be brimming with Christmas cookies, but he will just have to have those crispy store-bought ones.
I decided to accept the fact that replicating his beloved chocolate chip cookies at home just isn’t going to happen, so I thought I’d give his holiday favorite a try – gingersnap cookies.
Let me tell you – I feel like I won some kind of award. Eric (and Elle, and my dad) loved these cookies. Like, devoured them to the point where I had to intervene so I’d have some myself.
I’ll just go ahead and pat myself on the back for that.
Crispy gingersnap cookies
Can I share a pet peeve with you? It drives me bonkers when people use the word “gingersnaps” for soft and puffy ginger cookies.
Don’t get me wrong. I LOVE that type of ginger cookie! But to me, a gingersnap needs to be crisp.
And it definitely needs to be crisp to get my husband’s approval. So you know these gingersnaps are just that for him to love them so much!
These cookies have perfectly crispy edges, with just the tiniest bit of chew in the center. There’s definitely a ginger kick, exactly what you want in this kind of holiday cookie.
You can even adjust how crispy you want the cookies to be by how long you bake them for. In the recipe card, I walk you through how long to bake them for a chewier center versus an all-over crispier cookie.
How to make these gingersnaps
This gingersnap cookie recipe is very similar to my molasses cookie recipe, but with a few key changes to make them crispier and bring in that spicy ginger flavor.
Ingredients you’ll need
For these cookies, you will need:
- ¾ cup softened unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar, plus more for rolling
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup molasses
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
One of the biggest differences between this recipe and my chewy molasses cookies is that this recipe skips the brown sugar and uses all granulated sugar.
Brown sugar is key ingredient in recipes like brown sugar cinnamon cookies and chocolate chipless cookies because it gives them a chewy texture. Granulated sugar, on the other hand, makes cookies more crispy.
Since we want crispy gingersnaps, granulated sugar is the key here!
I also use a combination of ground ginger and a bit of cinnamon for that classic ginger flavor.
When buying the molasses, make sure you purchase regular unsulfured molasses. Do you not want blackstrap molasses for these cookies.
Making these cookies
The dough for these gingersnap cookies is a pretty standard drop cookie dough.
Using a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, cream the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. This will take about 3-5 minutes.
If you aren’t familiar with how to cream butter and sugar, it’s worth reviewing this important step! Getting this right can really change how your cookies turn out.
Add the egg, molasses, and vanilla to the bowl and mix until smooth. Make sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, and cinnamon. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing until just combined.
Since we want crispier cookies, we aren’t going to chill this dough. Which is extra great if you’re impatient and want cookies NOW!
Use a medium (1.5-tablespoon) cookie scoop to portion out the dough. Roll the dough into balls and roll each ball in granulated sugar, then place them on lined baking sheets at least 2 inches apart.
These gingersnaps do spread quite a bit, so make sure you give them plenty of space.
Bake the cookies at 350°F. For cookies with crisp edges and chewier centers, bake them for 11-13 minutes. For crispier cookies, bake them for 12-14 minutes.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Storage and freezing
For the crispiest gingersnaps, you will want to dig into these cookies on the day they’re made.
They can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days. Just keep in mind that the centers will get a bit chewier as they sit.
If you want to make the cookies ahead of time, toss them in a zip-top freezer bag and freeze them for up to a month.
You can also follow my instructions for how to freeze cookie dough to enjoy these gingersnaps fresh from the oven any time of year – not just during the holiday season!
Gingersnap Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar plus more for rolling
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup molasses
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add in the egg, molasses and vanilla, and mix on medium speed until smooth and well combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture until just combined.
- Using a medium (1.5 tablespoon) cookie scoop, scoop out the dough and roll into balls. Roll the dough balls in granulated sugar before placing on the prepared baking sheets at least 2 inches apart.
- For cookies with crisp edges and chewier centers, bake for 11-13 minutes, until the edges are browned and the tops are crackly.
- For crispier cookies, bake for 12-14 minutes, until the tops of the cookies are also browned.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Thank you SO very much. This truly makes a crispy cookie, as well as, a chewy cookie. Pleases everyone !!
Your recipe is, for sure, a keeper and will be enjoyed for many years to come ! I have looked for a recipe like yours for a very long time !! Merry Christmas.
My Best
Henny
PS I your husband wants a really thin ginger cookie–try the N.C. Moravian Cookies and the Nyaker Ginger cookies. Both can be found on Amazon and World Market.
They turned out amazing. I added pieces of candied ginger as well, spectacular.
Thank you.
So happy to hear you enjoyed the cookies, Deaner! Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your feedback!
-Jamie
Love your story. I am a Gingersnap person too.
This by far exceeds my recipe. (That’s a Good thing)
Great taste and Snap :)
Thanks,Cheri
So happy to hear you enjoyed the cookies, Cheri! Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your feedback!
-Jamie
Mine puff up but dont go down..what am i doing wrong?
Ellie-
Hello! I’m not sure what’s going on. They typically puff up and then deflate and end up how they look in the photos. Sorry I am not more of a help.
-Jamie