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!
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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
Instructions
- Beat together the butter and sugar until nice and fluffy.
- Add egg and molasses, followed by the remaining dry ingredients.
- 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!
Homemade Gingersnaps Recipe
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star
5 from 3 reviews
- Author: Melissa Riker
- Total Time: 21 minutes
- Yield: 36 1x
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
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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