Homemade Gingersnap Cookie Recipe (2024)

Christmas Favorites | Cookies | Desserts | Holiday Baking

ByMelissa Riker Updated

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The perfect gingersnap cookie recipe, these old-fashioned ginger snaps are crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside and rolled in sugar! They’re a perfect holiday baking recipe!

Homemade Gingersnap Cookie Recipe (1)

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I love gingersnap cookies, they are a favorite every holiday season. (Gingersnap or Ginger Snaps? I’ve seen it written both ways?) I love to gift them along with other classics like snickerdoodles, chocolate crinkle cookies, and cream cheese cookies. They are always a hit!

What are Gingersnap Cookies?

The perfect gingersnap cookie is hard to come by, you need them to be crisp on the outside and slightly chewy on the inside with the perfect amount of spice. This homemade gingersnap cookie recipe fits the bill perfectly!

The recipe is very simple and straightforward and comes together easily. Like many of the recipes I’ve been sharing lately, itcomes straight from my grandmother’s recipe book, so it’s been tried and tested for over 30 years!

Ingredients

This is not a fussy recipe, you probably have everything you need already in your pantry.

  • butter
  • sugar
  • molasses
  • eggs
  • flour
  • baking soda
  • cinnamon
  • ground cloves
  • ground ginger
  • salt
Homemade Gingersnap Cookie Recipe (2)

Instructions

  1. Beat together the butter and sugar until nice and fluffy.
  2. Add egg and molasses, followed by the remaining dry ingredients.
  3. Roll the dough into balls and give a sweet coating in sugar before baking.

They bake up very quickly and settle as they cool with those perfect characteristic cracks on top! This recipe also makes a big batch so it’s perfect for holiday gifting and parties!

Tips for best results

  • These cookies spread a good bit so be sure to place them at least 2″ apart.
  • There is no need to chill the dough in this recipe.
  • Don’t skip coating the cookies in sugar, this helps make that signature crackle top!

FAQs

How long do they last?

Store at room temperature in an airtight container up to 10 days.

Can you freeze gingersnaps?

Yes! Freeze cookies in a freezer-safe container up to 3 months.

Why are gingersnaps called “snaps”?

These crispy cookies make a “snap” sound when eaten, hence the nickname.

Here are some other old-fashioned recipes from my grandmother’s recipe book I’ve shared recently:

  • Hot Fudge Pie
  • Coconut Pie
  • Watergate Salad
  • StrawberryStuffed Angel Food Cake

If you try this recipe, please comment and rate it below, I love hearing from you!

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Homemade Gingersnap Cookie Recipe (4)

Homemade Gingersnaps Recipe

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5 from 3 reviews

  • Author: Melissa Riker
  • Total Time: 21 minutes
  • Yield: 36 1x
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Description

The perfect gingersnap cookie recipe, these ginger cookies are crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside and rolled in sugar!

Ingredients

Units Scale

  • 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup molasses
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • additional 1 cup sugar for rolling dough

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
  2. In a stand mixer (affiliate link), combine butter and 2 cups sugar and beat for one minute or until blended. Add eggs and molasses and continue to mix on medium speed until blended.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Add to butter mixture a little at a time while mixing on low speed. Mix until combined.
  4. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Pour additional 1 cup sugar in a small bowl. Roll the dough ball in the sugar until completely coated.
  5. Place dough ball on cookie sheet and space cookies at least two inches apart. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until cookies just begin to crack on the surface. Remove from oven and allow to cool for two minutes before moving to a cooling rack. Cookies will continue to crack and settle as they cool.
  6. Store in an airtight container up to one week.

Notes

  • These cookies spread a good bit so be sure to place at least 2″ apart.
  • There is no need to chill the dough in this gingersnap recipe.
  • Don’t skip coating the cookies in sugar, this helps make that signature crackle top!
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 6
  • Category: dessert
  • Method: baking
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cookie
  • Calories: 179
  • Sugar: 14.6 g
  • Sodium: 211.7 mg
  • Fat: 8.1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 25.4 g
  • Protein: 1.9 g
  • Cholesterol: 30.7 mg

Melissa Riker

Melissa Riker is a recipe developer and online content creator who has been sharing kitchen-tested recipes since 2011. Her passion (other than wine and cheese!) is creating reliable, no-fail recipes for home cooks.

Homemade Gingersnap Cookie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between gingersnaps and ginger cookies? ›

Ginger Snaps are simply a variation of the traditional Gingerbread cookie. They're known for their crisper quality; their “snap” if you will. Introduced in colonial times, the main differences between Gingerbread and Ginger Snaps are a longer bake time for an extra crisp and the use of molasses versus sugar.

Are ginger snaps healthier than other cookies? ›

Gingersnaps are a healthier alternative to other cookies, being that they are generally low in calories and have many benefits. The ginger that is in these cookies has anti-inflammatory properties, is known to help treat nausea and fight heart disease and other illnesses.

Why don t my ginger cookies crackle on the top? ›

Not enough leavening (it needs to be strong enough to crack the top once it's set) Using a single-acting baking powder (double acting gives extra rise when it gets heated) Not creaming the fat long enough (creaming cuts little air pockets into the fat, which means the leavening has to do less work)

Why are my ginger snaps soft? ›

Freezing or chilling the dough will result in a soft and chewy gingersnap cookies.

Why are my ginger cookies so hard? ›

“There are some gingerbread recipes that are hard right after baking and need to sit for a few days to soften. Molasses and honey hardens gingerbread, but as the sugar absorbs moisture, it will get softer.”

Are molasses cookies the same as gingersnaps? ›

Gingersnaps typically have a crisp, snappy texture and a spicier, more pronounced ginger flavor, while molasses cookies are soft with a deeper, rich molasses flavor.

What is the healthiest cookies to eat? ›

Oatmeal raisin probably has the best fiber/whole grain, flourless chocolate is better if you're trying to be low carb, meringues are probably lowest calorie. I'd say oatmeal raisin is a very nutritious cookie.

Are ginger snaps anti inflammatory? ›

Plus, all the spices all offer health benefits in addition to flavor—especially when it comes to ginger. "Ginger is fantastic for your digestion and also really great for nausea," Rigden says. Ginger also contains a compound called gingerol that has been shown to reduce inflammation and swelling.

Do ginger snaps help your stomach? ›

Ginger. Capsules of powdered ginger have been found to reduce nausea and vomiting. You could also try a cup of ginger tea, a glass of ginger ale (some people swear it works better if it's flat), a few gingersnap cookies, or a piece of ginger candy.

Why are my gingersnap cookies flat? ›

If your cookies repeatedly turn out flat, no matter the recipe, chances are your oven is too hot. Here's what's happening. The butter melts super quickly in a too-hot oven before the other ingredients have firmed up into a cookie structure. Therefore, as the butter spreads so does the whole liquidy cookie.

Why are my ginger cookies bitter? ›

But yes, too old, too much, or not-mixed-well baking soda will give your baked goods a bitter or soapy taste.

How do you know when ginger cookies are done? ›

Toothpick Test – This is one of the most common ways to check cookie doneness, and it can be used for many other desserts as well. Insert a toothpick into the centre of a cookie. If it comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it, the cookies are done.

Can dogs have ginger snaps? ›

You should not offer ginger snaps as a dog treat to your furry friend because the cookies can lead to: 1. Diabetes: Cookies like ginger snaps, gingerbread cookies, or ginger biscuits contain large amounts of sugar. Too much sugar can cause spikes in blood sugar levels or long-term health issues like diabetes.

What is the difference between ginger nuts and ginger snaps? ›

In North America these cookies are usually called gingersnaps but in Australia and New Zealand they are called ginger nuts. I cannot tell you how delicious these ginger cookies are so I'm just going to sort of beg you to make them.

Why is ginger snaps so good? ›

Ginger Snaps is a great werewolf movie because it has a unique take on the genre. It follows two teenage sisters who are dealing with the physical and emotional changes that come with the onset of puberty, and how those changes can be exacerbated by a werewolf curse.

Are gingernut biscuits and ginger snaps the same? ›

Using ground ginger, fresh ginger and diced crystallised ginger these gloriously crunchy gingersnaps are so moreish. This is a pushy recipe Dear Reader! In North America these cookies are usually called gingersnaps but in Australia and New Zealand they are called ginger nuts.

What is the difference between ginger snaps and spiced wafers? ›

The difference is that their ginger snaps contain "ginger" while their spiced wafers contain "spices". Never having had the ginger snaps, I'd suspect the spiced wafers are also crisper.

Do ginger snaps taste like gingerbread? ›

Then there's allspice, clove, cinnamon, brown sugar, and molasses—all of which are ingredients used interchangeably in ginger snaps and gingerbread cookies. We found this taste test to be very comforting.

Why are ginger cookies called snaps? ›

These early ginger cookies originated in Europe and came with the German, Dutch, and English settlers to America. Gingersnaps were named from the German or Middle Dutch word snappen, meaning "to seize quickly."

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