Crispy Gingersnap Cookie Recipe

Crispy Gingersnap Cookie Recipe is an easy and delicious holiday cookie to bake this season. Gingersnap cookies are a classic cookie with the perfect blend of warm spices, molasses, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves and fresh grated ginger. Not only flavorful, but you’ll also find that these cookies actually snap when you break them in half living up to their crunchy cookie reputation.

Homemade gingersnap cookies simple to make, have the perfect perfect crunchy texture, they also taste amazing! Be sure to add these tasty little morsels to your baking list!

Another holiday cookie you will want to try are these Ricotta Cheese Cookies.

Crispy gingersnap cookies dipped in white chocolate on a cooling rack.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE

Bold spicy cookies have been on our cookie tray for years, and bring fond memories of the holiday season, but it wasn’t until recently that I was able to narrow down the exact recipe my mom made year after year. Naturally, I had to share it with you!


Easy to Make – These cookies are super easy to make. You won’t need to break out the stand or electric hand mixer. All the ingredients will be mixed in a large bowl with a rubber spatula.
Crispy – The texture of these gingersnap cookies is unique. They are crispy without being too hard which is great if you don’t like biting into crumbly cookies.
Delicious – Crunchy, spicy, and full of a comforting flavor that the entire family is bound to enjoy.
Versatile Holiday Recipe – Enjoy adding additional flavor by dipping the cookies in melted white chocolate for a whole new cookie to add to your cookie tray.
Easy To Find Ingredients – You likely already have all the ingredients in your kitchen, or you can easily find them at your local grocery store.

A stack of gingersnap cookies on a white plate ready to eat.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED TO MAKE THE BEST GINGERSNAP COOKIES

  • Medium-sized mixing bowl
  • large mixing bowl
  • large skillet
  • whisk
  • shallow dish
  • cookie sheets
  • parchment paper
  • cookie scoop
  • cooling rack
Ingredients needed to make gingersnap cookies.
  • all-purpose flour
  • baking soda – You will use more than you might see in other cookie recipes. The baking soda is needed to help create crunchy gingersnaps.
  • salt
  • unsalted butter at room temperature.
  • ground ginger – Check your spices and make sure they are fresh. Any spice over a year old should be replaced. 
  • ground cinnamon
  • ground cloves
  • dark brown sugar
  • molasses – Use light or dark molasses, which you will also see as mild or robust. Avoid using blackstrap molasses. Blackstrap will be too bitter for this cookie recipe.
  • fresh ginger – Fresh ginger adds to the slightly peppery flavor in these cookies.
  • egg
  • egg yolk
  • granulated sugar – Roll the cookies in sugar before baking.
Gingersnap cookies dipped in white chocolate on a cookie platter.

HOW TO MAKE CRISPY GINGERSNAP COOKIES

To make this crispy gingersnap cookie recipe you only need a mixing bowl, measuring utensils and a rubber spatula.

STEP 1: MIX TOGETHER DRY INGREDIENTS

In a medium-size mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt together.

STEP 2: BROWN THE BUTTER

Place butter in a large 10″ skillet pan and melt over medium heat.

Turn heat to medium-low and brown the butter by gently lifting the pan and giving the pan a little shake to allow the butter to swirl around the pan. Repeat this process for 2-4 minutes or just until the butter turns amber.

Carefully transfer the browned butter to a heat-proof large mixing bowl.

STEP 3: ADD IN THE SPICES

Whisk in the ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper.

STEP 4: MIX IN THE SUGAR AND MOLASSES

Add the brown sugar, molasses, and freshly grated ginger to the butter mix. Stir until well incorporated.

STEP 5: BEAT IN THE EGGS

Whisk in the egg and egg yolk.

STEP 6: ADD IN THE DRY INGREDIENTS

Add the flour mixture and stir just until combined.

STEP 7: CHILL THE DOUGH

Cover and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

STEP 8: PREPARE YOUR BAKING PANS

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and pre-heat the oven to 300°F degrees.

STEP 9: ROLL THE DOUGH IN SUGAR

Place the granulated sugar in a shallow dish (pie baking dish works well).

With a small 1″ cookie scoop, scoop the dough and roll with your hands into a round ball. Roll in granulated sugar before placing it on the baking sheet. Depending on the size of the cookie sheet, evenly space 4 cookies on the width of the pan.

STEP 10: BAKE THE COOKIES

Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate the sheet and bake an additional 10-12 minutes longer. You may bake two sheets at a time, but check to ensure they are baking evenly.

STEP 11: COOL THE COOKIES

Transfer to a cooling rack with parchment paper, and cool on baking sheets before repeating baking process.

Baked gingersnap cookies cooling on a baking rack.

THE SWEETEST SEASON AND COOKIES FOR KIDS CANCER

This Crispy Gingersnap Cookie Recipe is a contribution to The Sweetest Season holiday event that my friend Erin from The Speckled Palate has organized for the past 10 years.

Wondering what The Sweetest Season is all about? With the help of Erin’s blogging friends, we are spreading some love by way of holiday cookie recipes, and by introducing our readers to a noteworthy organization called Cookies For Kids’ Cancer.

This year Erin chose to highlight and support Cookies For Kids’ Cancer, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to funding research for new, innovative and less-toxic treatments for childhood cancer.

What does Cookies For Kids’ Cancer do? They donate to pediatric cancer research in hundreds of research grants to leading pediatric cancer centers across the country. Since 2007, Cookies For Kids’ has granted nearly $17 million dollars!

A stack of crispy gingersnap cookies ready to eat.

It is suggested to follow the gingersnap cookie recipe instructions to a “T” for best results. This recipe has been tested and reworked by America’s Test Kitchen.

Butter – If you don’t have unsalted butter on hand, salted will work in pinch. You can reduce the salt in this recipe to half if you are using salted butter.

Ginger – If you don’t like fresh ginger, simply omit it and substitute it with 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger.

Molasses – You can use all brown sugar or 2 tablespoons molasses and 1/4 cup granulated sugar.

HOW TO STORE

Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days in a cool dry place.

FREEZING DIRECTIONS

Freeze this dough for up to 3 months. They can be frozen baked or unbaked.

Why should I brown the butter?

Browning the butter adds a caramel flavor and intensifies the spices.

What is the best ginger to use in gingersnap cookies?

Fresh ginger is best because it has the most flavor. If you don’t have fresh ginger on hand, then use ground ginger as a substitute.

What is the difference between dark brown sugar and light brown sugar?

Dark brown sugars are packed with molasses. Light brown sugar has less molasses than dark, but both types of brown sugar will work in this recipe. However dark brown sugar gives the cookies the best taste.

OTHER COOKIES RECIPES YOU MAY ENJOY

Crispy gingersnap cookies on a white plate with some cookies dipped in white chocolate ready to enjoy.
Crispy gingerbread cookies on a cooling rack.

Crispy Gingersnap Cookie Recipe

Crispy gingersnap cookies with a spicy peppery flavor is a classic holiday cookie with the perfect crunchy snap. Dip in white chocolate for a whole new flavor profile.
4.78 from 9 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: crispy gingersnap cookie recipe, ginger cookies, Gingersnap cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Additional Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 80 Cookies
Calories: 25kcal
Author: Sandra Shaffer

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 12 Tablespoons 1 1/2 sticks butter, unsalted
  • 2 Tablespoons ginger ground
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon ground
  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves ground
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper ground
  • 1 1/4 dark brown sugar packed
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 2 Tablespoons grated fresh ginger
  • 1 egg large
  • 1 egg yolk large
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar

Instructions

  • In a medium size mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, salt together.
  • Slice butter into Tablespoon pieces and place in a 10-inch skillet. Melt over medium heat. Once melted, lower heat to medium-low and heat until butter begins to brown. This will take about 4 minutes.
  • Transfer browned butter to a large mixing bowl and let cool for a couple of minutes.
  • Whisk in ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper into the browned butter.
  • Add the brown sugar, molasses, and grated fresh ginger. Mix until well combined.
  • Whisk in egg and egg yolk into the butter-molasses mix.
  • Fold dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined.
  • Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  • Set baking racks on upper middle and middle racks. Preheat oven to 300°F degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
  • Roll cookie dough in 1-inch balls and coat with granulated sugar.
  • Place on prepared baking sheet and place in the upper rack. Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate baking sheet and place on the middle rack. Bake for an additional 10-12 minutes just until the edges of the cookies begin to darken.
  • Remove from oven and slide parchment paper with the cookies on a cooling rack.
  • Repeat baking process until all cookies are baked.

Notes

Melted Chocolate – To dip cookies in melted chocolate. Place 1 cup of white chocolate baking chips in a microwave safe bowl. Heat on 50% power in 30 second increments until melted and smooth. Dip cookie in melted chocolate and place on a cooling rack to harden. Alternatively, place melted chocolate in a small plastic bag or piping bag and snip the end of the bag. Drizzle over the cookies and place on a cooling sheet until chocolate is firm.
Recipe adapted from Cook's Illustrated.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 25kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 46mg | Sugar: 2g

Disclaimer

Please note that the nutritional information provided are guidelines and may vary based on the brand of products used. For your specific nutritional goals use My Fitness Pal or Verywell Fit recipe calculators. All content within this site is not intended as medical diagnosis or treatment and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical expertise.

PIN TO YOUR RECIPE BOARDS

rispy gingersnap cookies with a spicy peppery flavor is a classic holiday cookie with the perfect crunchy snap. Dip in white chocolate for a whole new flavor profile. #Christmas #Cookies #HolidayDessert #Gingersnap
Hugs Sandra Signature

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6 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This is one terrific recipe! This cookie crunches, is darkly appetizing and bites back deliciously.
    Thanks so much!
    I modified it so slightly for a nutritional boost with 1/2 cup almond flour and used the full two eggs.

  2. Was doing a search for gingersnap recipes online and stumbled on this one. I worked at Cook’s Illustrated magazine for 11 years, and developed one for it. Funny thing, it is IDENTICAL to yours, minus the fact that you use black pepper instead of cayenne.

    There is no such thing as copyright on recipes, but it is nevertheless bad form to copy a recipe and claim you came up with it on your own. Would it really have been so hard to admit you got it from somewhere else?