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A good Gingersnap Cookie is like Christmas on a plate. And this Gingersnap is as good as they come! A thick and chewy molasses and ginger cookie rolled in cinnamon and sugar. This cookie ginger perfection.
You’ll love these Chewy Gingersnap Cookies
If Christmas were a cookie it would 1000% be a gingersnap! One taste of the sweet ginger, brown sugar, cinnamon and molasses flavors and you will be immediately transported to a winter wonderland! And even though we always associate these cookies with the holiday season, real talk, these cookies are WAY too good to eat just in December!
If you are looking for a cookie with the perfect blend of sweet and slightly spicy in the best of ways, this is it! The warming combination of cinnamon and ginger is just good for the soul!
These gingersnaps are soft and chewy with a slightly crispy edge, more like a thick bakery cookie rather than a thin and crisp gingersnap that you would normally buy in a grocery store. My gingersnaps are rolled in cinnamon and sugar before they are baked so they are kind of like a brown sugar, gingery snickerdoodle. And I’ll tell you what, I am absolutely HERE FOR IT!
If you are more into the classic cookie that your grandma used to make, check out this Molasses cookie Recipe.
What is a Gingersnap?
A gingersnap is a type of cookie that is typically characterized by its crunchy texture and spicy, ginger flavor. It is usually made with a combination of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, along with molasses or brown sugar to give it a deep, rich flavor. Gingersnaps are a popular holiday treat, but they can be enjoyed year-round.
Gingersnap Cookie Recipe Ingredients
- Salted Butter- Make sure your butter and margarine are room temperature so that they cream together well with the sugars.
- Margarine- The combination of butter and margarine makes the perfect buttery crisp edge on the cookie.
- Brown Sugar
- Egg
- Molasses- The molasses gives these cookies the dark sweetness that you have come to expect in a gingersnap.
- Vanilla
- Flour- Just plain old all purpose flour will do the trick.
- Ground Ginger
- Cinnamon
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Cinnamon Sugar Mixture- This is to roll the cookie dough in before baking. I like to use 1 tsp of cinnamon to every 1/2 cup of sugar. You may like yours with a bit more or less cinnamon, so mix it up how you usually do.
How to make Gingersnap Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl or a stand mixer, cream together your butter, margarine and sugars until it’s light in color and fluffy in texture.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl and add in the molasses, egg, and vanilla. Mix them together for another minute.
4. Add in the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and ground ginger, mixing until the ingredients just come together and a dough forms.
5. Scoop the dough out into individual portions. For small cookies, use 1 1/2 tbsp of dough. For medium cookies, use 3 tbsp of dough. For large cookies, use 1/3 cup of dough.
6. Roll each dough ball in the cinnamon and sugar, pressing the mixture into the dough slightly.
7. Bake at 350° until the cookie dough has spread and the center is no longer wet and glossy- for small cookies, bake for 8-10 minutes, for medium cookies bake for 9-11 minutes, for large cookies bake for 12-15 minutes.
8. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
9. Serve warm and enjoy!
What to do with leftover Gingersnap Cookies
These cookies will stay fresh stored at room temperature in an air tight container for up to 4 days.
You can freeze the cookies in an air tight container for up to 3 months.
How to store Soft Gingersnap Cookies
Leftover gingersnap cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. To extend their shelf life, you can also store them in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or freeze them for up to three months.
How to freeze Gingersnap Cookie Dough
To freeze gingersnap cookie dough, shape it into balls or flatten it into disks and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze the dough until it is firm, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag. Label the container with the date and the type of dough, then store it in the freezer for up to three months. When ready to bake, simply place the frozen dough on a baking sheet and bake as directed, adding a minute or two to the baking time.
Best Gingersnap Cookies FAQs
The main difference between gingerbread cookies and gingersnap cookies is their shape- generally gingerbread cookies are rolled and cut into shapes while gingersnap cookies are rolled into balls and then baked.
Gingersnaps and gingerbread do have a similar flavor, as they both contain ginger and other warm spices. However, gingersnaps have a more intense ginger flavor and a crunchier texture, while gingerbread is softer and often includes additional ingredients like molasses or honey.
This is purely personal preference. Typically, they are crunchy and ‘snappy’ but I actually prefer mine to be soft and chewy, which is what this recipe will yield.
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Looking for more COOKIE RECIPES? Find more Christmas Cookies below!
- Hot Chocolate Cookies
- Twix Cookies
- Chocolate Peppermint Blossom Cookies
- Christmas Sugar Cookies
- M&M Christmas Cookie
Soft & Chewy Gingersnap Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup (308g) brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (111g) salted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (111g) margarine, softened
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup (60ml) molasses
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups (380g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup cinnamon and sugar mixture
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer, combine the butter, margarine and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the egg, molasses and vanilla. Mix until well combined.
- Add the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, baking soda and salt to the bowl. Mix until the dough forms.
- Portion the dough out to your desired size. For small cookies, use 1 1/2 tbsp of dough. For medium cookies, use 3 tbsp of dough. For large cookies, use 1/3 cup of dough.
- Roll each of the balls of dough into the cinnamon and sugar mixture, pressing the mixture into the cookie dough.
- Bake at 350°F (180°C) until the cookie dough has spread and the center is no longer wet and glossy- for small cookies, bake for 8-10 minutes, for medium cookies bake for 9-11 minutes, for large cookies bake for 12-15 minutes.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack. Serve warm.
Hi there my name is Nina. First off would just like to say this is the first time I’ve ever tried your recipes. I finished making my first batch of your perfect sugar cookie ( which is what the 5 star rating is for) a few minutes ago. I am extremely delighted the results! Fast simple only 6 ingredients and delicious! Thank you for sharing that. I also just finished whipping up your sugar cookie frosting which is what has prompted to me to write to you. I have have made several batches of homemade frosting over the years. All with different recipes from people claiming perfection. And I actually swore that’d I’d never make another homemade version again after the last disaster that I made. Everytime I make a batch I follow the instructions perfectly and it just never seems to turn out right. It always tastes like powdered sugar. And I always strive for buttercream. I usually get the right consistency but never the right flavor. Anyhow then I saw your recipe. And I wasn’t going to make it until I read the ingredients. I’ve never made a version that has shortening in it. So yet again with much optimism I figured I’d give it a whirl. And to my dismay it turned out fantastic!!! I finally have the flavor I’ve been searching for all these years. I would have never guessed to put shortening in it but it does the trick. I cannot thank you enough for sharing this and for rebuilding my frosting confidence so to speak! I’m going to try your gingersnap recipe next. They look divine and can’t wait to taste them! Your amazing thank you! Keep on baking! And happy holidays.
Nina, you have completely made my day!! Thank you so much for your kind words, love and support. Happy holidays to you, too!
Do you think I could use butter flavored Crisco in place of the margarine?
Could you sub out butter for the margarine? I can’t eat margarine because of the trans fat present. Is there any potential substitute? Love your recipes.
Thanks
Yes, you can sub Butter!
That should work fine!
Love these recipes! So yummy 😋
I’ve made these several times since getting the cookbook!
They are chewy and delicious. I usually use rounded measurements of the ginger and cinnamon to give an extra punch of flavor.
This most recent time, I used Earth Balance vegan buttery spread in place of the butter and margarine. It worked out fantastically! Needed an extra 45 seconds to a minute of cook time, but the same as with butter.
The recipe for the Gingersnap cookies is easy to follow. They’re the most delicious cookie I’ve ate in a long time. Even after several days the cookies are still crispy on the edges, and chewy in the center. I’ll be following you for more recipes. Thank you