Chewy, spicy gingersnap cookies belong on every cookie table and dessert tray. Also, if you're watching your calories, gingersnap cookies are a great choice at 48 calories a cookie.
My grandma made the best gingersnaps, usually at Christmas, rolled in red and green sanding sugar.
But if it's not Christmas when you're here reading about these crinkled molasses cookies, make them anyway!
Gingersnaps are good year-round.
I think I've finally nailed my late Grandma's recipe but I tweaked it to create a slightly spicier cookie.
If you're in holiday cookie mode, you might also like No-spread cut-out cookies or Gingerbread Snowflakes.
Do you have all of your Christmas shopping done?
I do not!
But it's okay.
The super important things, i.e. teenage boy gifts, have arrived.
They just need to be wrapped.
I won't mind wrapping if I can do it with perhaps a Lemon Drop Martini and a tray of these gingersnaps by my side.
Did you know that gingersnaps can forge a divide between strangers?
Cookie Baking Advice
You may find these baking posts helpful, from Room Temperature Butter for Baking to Salted or Unsalted Butter for Cookies? to Do I Need A Cookie Scoop?, Cookie Size Chart to What Should a Beginner Bake? to Where Can I Buy Sprinkles?, Why is my sugar cookie dough too sticky? and Cookie Holidays.
Gingersnap Cookie Recipe Notes:
These molasses cookies will be easier to make with an electric mixer but if you don't have one, you can make this dough with a strong arm and a sturdy spatula.
Spice is an integral part of gingersnap cookies so make sure your spices are fresh.
If it's been a year or even six months since you baked or cooked anything with ginger, cinnamon and cloves, throw those old spices out and replace them before you make this recipe.
Pro tip: replenish spices at your natural food store or food cooperative.
You can purchase tiny amounts of spices, which are most likely going to be much fresher than bottles of spices that have been lingering on a grocery store shelf.
You'll also pay less.
These are gingersnap cookies made with butter.
You can use shortening instead if you'd like but butter is better.
Molasses is another critical component of this recipe.
While I'm all about making substitutions when possible, there is no substitute for molasses in these old fashioned gingersnap cookies.
You won't get the right results if you try to substitute dark corn syrup or maple syrup.
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Recipe
Gingersnaps (Just Like Grandma's!)
Gingersnaps, chewy, spicy and a bit crunchy thanks to a rolll in sanding sugar, thsese cookies will be your new holiday favorites.
Ingredients
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ¾ cup butter, room temperature
- ¼ cup molasses
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Measure/weigh dry ingredients into a small bowl, set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat butter and brown sugar on medium speed for about four minutes or until fluffy.
- Add molasses
- Crack egg into a small bowl or one of your measuring cups.(This way, if there’s a problem with the egg or if you get shells in it, you haven’t ruined the cookie dough you’ve started).
- Pour egg into mixing bowl.
- Mix for another minute on medium.
- Add dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined.
- Portion dough into balls using a one-inch cookie scoop.
- Roll balls into sanding sugar.
- Bake 12 balls at a time at 350 for 12 minutes.
- Let cool on wire rack.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 36 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 68Total Fat 4gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 15mgSodium 121mgCarbohydrates 13gFiber 0gSugar 7gProtein 1g
More spicy cookies include these Spicetastic Dutch Spice Cookies!
If gingersnaps aren't your thing, maybe you'd like to try an Italian Butter Cookie recipe?
Maybe you're a chocolate fan, if so might I suggest Chocolate Crinkle Cookies?
Of course, you can never go wrong with citrus cookies like these Lemon Shortbread Hearts.
Your turn:
Do you like gingersnaps? What's your favorite recipe for them?
Merry Christmas!
I'm hosting a Holiday Cookie Blog Hop with members of the Thistlewood Mastermind Group.
There's a treasure trove of amazing holiday cookie recipes here. Please check them all out! Report back to me which ones you try baking 🙂
Jennifer
Gingersnaps are my favorite cookie. And i Love to use them as a crust for pies. Your recipe looks divine!
Jennifer
Ooooh! Gingersnaps for pie crust sounds great. Do you mean a crust for cheesecake? I've had a pumpkin cheesecake before with gingersnap crust. It was divine! Thanks for stopping by.