Old Fashioned Gingersnap Cookies Recipe
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Bake a batch of these classic gingersnap cookies. Crisp, spiced, and full of old-fashioned flavor. A perfect holiday cookie recipe for gifting or enjoying with coffee.
There’s nothing quite like the warm aroma of ginger, cinnamon, and cloves filling the kitchen on a chilly day. This gingersnap cookies recipe is a crisp, spiced classic that has been part of holiday traditions for generations. With their sparkly sugared tops and satisfying snap, these cookies are perfect for Christmas cookie trays, swaps, or simply enjoying with a cup of coffee or tea.
This version of gingersnaps comes from my grandmother’s copy of The United States Regional Cook Book, published in 1939. When I inherited this cookbook, I noticed several pages marked with bookmarks made from folded pieces of plain paper from our local paper mill. I have kept each bookmark in place all these years. This page spread includes several classic cookie recipes from my childhood, including these gingersnaps. I have used a variation of this recipe for many years.
What Are Gingersnaps?
Gingersnaps are a type of crisp, spiced cookie made with ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and molasses. True to their name, they break with a “snap” when bitten or broken in half. Unlike soft ginger cookies or cut-out gingerbread, gingersnaps are thin, crunchy, and full of bold flavor. Their sturdy texture also makes them perfect for gifting, cookie trays, and dunking in coffee or tea.
Gingersnaps have a long history. Written accounts of ginger-flavored cakes date back to the 13th century, when medieval monks in Franconia, Germany baked firm gingerbread biscuits stamped with decorative patterns. Variations such as ginger nuts, ginger biscuits, and gingerbread developed across Europe and eventually made their way to the American colonies with English, Dutch, and German settlers. By the mid-1800s, recipes for gingersnap cookies appeared in many American cookbooks, and the tradition of holiday spiced cookies has continued ever since.
Tips for Making Gingersnap Cookies
- Use fresh spices: Older spices lose flavor over time, and you want the full, warm flavors of fresh spices in these cookies. For the boldest flavor, make sure your ginger, cinnamon, and cloves are fresh.
- Use unsulphured molasses: You will want to use unsulphured molasses in baking sweets, not blackstrap molasses. Unsulphured molasses is made from ripe sugarcane, has a naturally higher sugar content, and a sweeter, milder flavor that works well in cookies. Blackstrap molasses is extracted from unripe sugarcane and treated with sulfur dioxide as a preservative. It has less sugar and a somewhat bitter flavor that you don’t want when baking cookies.
- Start with room temperature butter: Softened butter mixes more easily with the sugar, helping the dough come together smoothly and ensuring the cookies bake evenly.
- Measure molasses carefully: A light coating of butter in your measuring cup helps the sticky molasses slide out easily.
- For even cookies: Use a small cookie scoop (#60, about a tablespoon) so they bake uniformly.
- Coat in sugar: Rolling the dough balls in sugar before baking gives them a sparkling finish and adds a little extra crunch.
- Crispier cookies: Bake a minute or two longer if you like a more pronounced “snap.”
- Cool completely: Let cookies cool fully on a wire rack before storing. Sealing them while they are still warm can cause them to soften.
Steps to Making Gingersnap Cookies
This gingersnap cookie recipe is bursting with flavors of ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and molasses, and is coated with granulated sugar for a bit of sparkle and a crackly coating.
You can find the full detailed recipe at the bottom of this article, but here are the steps to making old-fashioned gingersnaps:
Step 1: Gather Your Ingredients
Before you begin, measure out all of your ingredients so they’re ready when you need them. See the full recipe card below for exact amounts. For this gingersnap cookies recipe, you’ll need:
- All-purpose flour: Provides the base for the dough. Spoon and level your flour for accurate measuring.
- Baking soda: Helps the cookies spread and develop their signature crinkled tops.
- Warm spices: A blend of ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves gives gingersnaps their signature flavor: zesty, sweet, and just a little earthy.
- Salt: Enhances all the other flavors.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter, softened to room temperature so it creams smoothly with the sugar.
- Dark brown sugar: Provides sweetness, moisture, and a deep caramel-molasses flavor that makes these cookies rich and flavorful.
- Egg: Helps bind the dough and gives the cookies structure.
- Unsulphured molasses: Adds rich flavor and color. Be sure to use unsulphured molasses, not blackstrap, for the best taste. My favorite brand is Grandma’s Original Unsulphured Molasses.
- Granulated sugar: Rolling the cookie dough balls in white sugar before baking gives a sparkling finish.
Step 2: Make the Cookie Dough
- Combine the dry ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt until evenly combined. Set aside.
- Beat the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, cream the butter and dark brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and molasses until smooth.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture a little at a time, and continue mixing until the dough is well combined.
- Chill the dough: Cover the bowl and refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hours, to allow the flavors to develop and make the dough easier to handle.
Step 3: Shape and Bake the Cookies
When you are ready to bake your cookies, preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper, and pour the granulated sugar into a small bowl for coating.
- Shape: Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator. Using a tablespoon cookie scoop (a #60 scoop) or spoon to scoop out a tablespoon of dough and roll into 1-inch balls.
- Coat with Sugar: Drop the ball into the sugar and roll to coat all sides. Then, place the balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Flatten: For a thin, crisp cookie, flatten each ball slightly with the bottom of a glass. For a thicker cookie with a softer, chewy bite, leave them rounded.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven until the edges are set and the tops are crackled, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Allow the baking sheets to cool between batches, and repeat the process until all the dough is used. This recipe makes about 48 cookies.
Storage
Once completely cooled, store gingersnap cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Their crisp texture holds up well, making them a great choice for holiday cookie trays and gifting.
Make Ahead Tips
Gingersnaps are a wonderful cookie to prepare in advance since both the dough and the baked cookies freeze beautifully. This makes them perfect for holiday baking when you want to spread out the work.
- Freeze baked cookies: Once completely cooled, layer the cookies between sheets of parchment paper in an airtight container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
- Freeze cookie dough: Roll the dough into balls and coat with sugar as directed. Place them on a baking sheet in a single layer and freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container and store for up to 3 months. To bake, arrange frozen dough balls on a prepared baking sheet and bake straight from the freezer, adding 1–2 minutes to the baking time.
Serving Ideas
These gingersnap cookies are crisp, spiced, and perfect for enjoying on their own or sharing during the holidays. Here are a few favorite ways to serve them:
- Holiday cookie trays: Their deep golden color and sparkling sugar tops make them a beautiful addition to Christmas cookie assortments.
- Gifting: Gingersnaps pack well and hold their crisp texture, making them ideal for cookie swaps, gift tins, or mailing to friends and family.
- Everyday treat: Pair with a hot cup of coffee, tea, or cocoa for a cozy afternoon snack.
- Dressed up: Dip half of each cookie in melted chocolate and sprinkle with crushed peppermint or holiday sprinkles for a festive twist.
Old Fashioned Gingersnap Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar for rolling
Instructions
Make the Cookie Dough
- Add flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt to a medium bowl. Stir with a wire whisk until combined. Set aside.
- Using a mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and molasses, and mix until well blended.
- Gradually add the flour mixture a little at a time, mixing until well blended.
- Cover and chill cookie dough for at least one hour (or up to 24 hours).
Shape and Bake the Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Add the granulated sugar to a small bowl.
- Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator. Scoop out a tablespoon of dough and roll it into a 1-inch ball.
- Roll each ball in the sugar to coat all sides, and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Flatten the dough balls with the bottom of a glass for thin, crispy cookies, or leave as is for a soft cookie.
- Bake in a preheated oven until edges are set and tops are crackled, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Remove the baking sheets from the oven, let the cookies cool slightly, then transfer them to cooling racks and let them cool completely.
- Let the baking sheets cool between batches, and repeat the process until all the dough is used.
- Makes about 48 cookies.
Notes
Nutrition
Enjoy This Classic Gingersnap Cookies Recipe
Crisp, spiced, and full of old-fashioned flavor, these gingersnap cookies are a timeless treat that never goes out of style. Whether you bake them ahead for the holidays, tuck them into gift tins, or simply enjoy them with a warm cup of coffee or tea, they’re sure to become a favorite in your kitchen too.
More Christmas Cookie Recipes:
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These are so delicious!! It’s like a hybrid of pumpkin pie and gingerbread but with a spicier twist. The entire family can’t stop eating them. The only major change to my batch of cookies was that I accidentally bought light brown sugar so I just added more molasses to compensate.
Amber, I am so glad you and your family enjoyed the gingersnaps. Adding a little molasses is the perfect way to keep the extra dark color when substituting light brown sugar.