Crispy Gingersnaps | Ginger Snap Cookies Recipe (2024)

Tessa’s Recipe Rundown

Taste: The perfect balance of sweet and spice.
Texture: Thin and crispy, these cookies break in half cleanly and have a satisfying crunch to every bite!
Ease: Super simple 30 minute recipe. No chilling required.
Pros: Easy and festive recipe that goes great in every Christmas cookie box.
Cons: None!
Would I make this again? Yes.

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These Crispy Gingersnaps Cookies are the perfect classic, crispy gingersnap cookie.

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Typically I enjoy more of a chewy cookie, but every once in a while I want that satisfying crunch and crispness of something sweet.

I tweaked my Chewy Gingersnap recipe (which are included in my cookbook – available on Amazon!) to make them thin and crunchy.

Crispy Gingersnaps | Ginger Snap Cookies Recipe (2)

These ginger cookies would also make a great base for ice cream sandwiches!

In fact, my best friend Ashley from Baker by Nature sent me ice cream from Salt & Straw, our favorite ice cream shoppe, as an early Christmas gift.

One of the flavors she sent was for Gingerbread Cookie Dough. I’m thinking I have to make ice cream sandwiches with these ginger snaps and that ice cream!!

Of course, they’re also marvelous on their own with a glass of milk or a cup of coffee or tea.

How to Make Thin & Crispy Gingersnaps

What are Gingersnaps?

A year-round favorite all over the world, Gingersnaps are particularly popular to welcome in the fall and winter holiday seasons! Gingersnaps are perfectly spiced with the most beautiful cracked, sugary tops. While these are mostly enjoyed during the colder months, I actually love them in the fall in Arizona, when the temps are slowly beginning to drop. They’re delicious with a glass of cold milk or even lemonade… and even better used in place of graham crackers for over-the-top s’mores!

Gingersnaps are just what they sound like: a cookie flavored with ginger – plus other spices that we’ll talk more about below. Gingersnaps are typically crunchy or have a brittle texture, thus the “snap”. The spiciness of the ginger and richness of the molasses pairs perfectly with coffee, tea, hot cocoa, or mulled wine.

    What Makes Cookies Crispy and Crackled?

    • A heavy amount of baking soda interacts with the molasses in this recipe to encourage spread.
    • This allows cracks in the dough to develop where moisture escapes, creating that beautiful crackled appearance and crunchy texture.
    • Ensure your baking soda is fresh and active – learn more about that here.
    • There’s also much more granulated sugar than brown sugar in this recipe. White sugar encourages more spread and has less moisture to make for a crisper cookie.
    • Lastly, a longer baking time ensures a crunchy texture all the way through the center of these cookies.

    Measure Your Flour Correctly to Ensure Gingersnaps are CRISPY!

    • To avoid ending up with Gingersnaps that are thick and chewy instead of perfectly crispy, make sure to measure your flour accurately with a digital scale.
    • It’s all too easy to accidentally add too much flour if you’re using cups.
    • Check out my article on How to Measure Flour for step-by-step instructions.
    • Just take a look at what a difference too much flour can make:

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    How to Make Flavorful Gingersnaps

    • Make sure your spices, especially the ground ginger, are fresh and of high quality.
    • The fresher the spice, the more flavorful it’ll be.
    • While I haven’t tried it, you can also experiment with crystallized ginger, but expect your cookies to be a little more sugary.
    • If you want more SPICE in your gingersnaps, add a tablespoon or two of freshly grated ginger.
    • You can also add a pinch of cayenne pepper.
    • In addition to the spices, the molasses used is also important.
    • Make sure to use unsulphured molasses.
    • Never use blackstrap molasses in baking, it’s extremely bitter.
    • Brer Rabbit or Grandma’s in their ‘mild’ or ‘original’ flavors tend to work best.

    Crispy Gingersnaps | Ginger Snap Cookies Recipe (4)

    How to Store Homemade Gingersnaps

    Store the gingersnaps in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days.

    How to Freeze Gingersnap Cookies

    • Scoop out the balls of cookie dough.
    • Place on a baking sheet and freeze until solid.
    • Remove to an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
    • Bake from frozen, reducing the temperature to 325°F and adding a couple minutes onto the baking time.
    • You can also store baked Crispy Gingersnap Cookies in the freezer, in an airtight container or freezer bag, for up to 1 month.

    Crispy Gingersnaps | Ginger Snap Cookies Recipe (5)

    More Christmas Cookie Recipes:

    • Easy Cut Out Sugar Cookies
    • Soft Chewy Sugar Cookies
    • Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Icing
    • Turtle Thumbprint Cookies
    • S’mores Cookies
    • Gingerbread Cookies

    Crispy Gingersnaps | Ginger Snap Cookies Recipe (6)

    How to Make

    Crispy Gingersnaps

    4.94 from 193 votes

    Yield: 28 cookies

    Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

    Cook Time: 15 minutes mins

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    Classic Crispy Gingersnaps are the perfect Christmas cookie! Thin and crunchy with the perfect amount of molasses and spice, this easy homemade recipe takes 30 minutes to make!

    Ingredients

    • 1 1/2 sticks (170 grams) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
    • 1 1/4 cups (250 grams) granulated sugar, divided
    • 1/4 cup (50 grams) lightly packed light brown sugar
    • 1/3 cup (113 grams) unsulphured molasses (NOT blackstrap)
    • 1 large egg
    • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
    • 2 teaspoons baking soda
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
    • 2 1/4 cups (286 grams) all-purpose flour

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

    • In a large bowl, use an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment to beat the butter, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the molasses and egg and beat until combined. Add in the salt, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and flour, and beat until combined.

    • Place the remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a shallow dish. Scoop the dough into 1 1/2 tablespoon balls and roll in the sugar before placing on the baking sheet, leaving plenty of room for spread. Bake for 15 minutes or until the cookies are spread and the surface looks crackled.

    • Let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days.

    Show us!If you make this recipe, be sure to snap a picture and share it on Instagram with #handletheheat so we can all see!

    Recipe Notes

    Be sure to use spices that haven’t been sitting open in your spice cabinet for years! The fresher the spice, the more flavorful it’ll be.

    Photos by Ashley McLaughlin.

    Crispy Gingersnaps | Ginger Snap Cookies Recipe (2024)

    FAQs

    Why are my ginger snaps not crispy? ›

    Measure Your Flour Correctly to Ensure Gingersnaps are CRISPY! To avoid ending up with Gingersnaps that are thick and chewy instead of perfectly crispy, make sure to measure your flour accurately with a digital scale. It's all too easy to accidentally add too much flour if you're using cups.

    What makes a cookie crispy? ›

    To make cookies crispy, add less liquid or bake it in the oven for longer to dry out the dough. Generally bake around 13-15min at 180C for a crispy cookie. But if you want a thoroughly crispy cookie – not those just charred on the outside – decrease the temperature to 140C and bake for 30min.

    Why didn't my ginger snaps crinkle? ›

    The oven isn't hot enough. (it needs to set the top before the middle's fully risen) Not enough leavening (it needs to be strong enough to crack the top once it's set) Using a single-acting baking powder (double acting gives extra rise when it gets heated)

    Why are my ginger cookies so hard? ›

    “There are some gingerbread recipes that are hard right after baking and need to sit for a few days to soften. Molasses and honey hardens gingerbread, but as the sugar absorbs moisture, it will get softer.”

    Why are my crinkle cookies not crinkling? ›

    The signature crinkle effect happens when the cookies spread and crack as they bake. If your cookies aren't crinkling, it might be because the dough is too warm (try chilling it for longer before baking), or the oven temperature might be too low (ensure your oven is correctly preheated).

    Why are my ginger snaps soft? ›

    Freezing or chilling the dough will result in a soft and chewy gingersnap cookies. With crinkly tops and spicy flavor this version also makes the most delicious holders for ice cream. Baked immediately, you'll get crisp and crunchy gingersnaps – the kind that you can snap in half for proper dunking.

    What ingredient contributes most to the texture of a crisp cookie? ›

    Fat is a very important ingredient in cookies – it tenderizes, crisps and browns, adds color and a wonderful flavor that is impossible to duplicate. Butter, our fat of choice, ensures good baking results and adds the most desirable taste, texture and appearance.

    What are 3 factors that cause a cookie to be crisp? ›

    The type of flour and sugar you use, if your cookie dough contains eggs, and whether you use melted or softened butter all factor into the crispy-chewy equation, too.

    What makes cookies crispy baking soda or baking powder? ›

    Baking soda is also present in baking powder, but in a smaller amount, so it has a lower pH level which results in less browning. Baking soda in cookies leads to more spread and a crispy edge compared to baking powder, as shown in the photos below.

    What happens if you add too much butter to gingerbread cookies? ›

    An excessive amount of butter makes it where the flour is unable to absorb the combined fat, which causes the cookie to spread too widely and the sugar to carbonize more easily because it's surrounded by too buttery a dough.

    Why can t you buy ginger snaps California? ›

    It is based on a lawsuit in CA with regards to small amounts of lead found in the ginger. Some of the companies pulled the products in CA and do not sell them anymore. The lead is a naturally occurring element in the ground Ginger does absorb some of it. Although not nearly enough to have any affect on humans.

    Why are my ginger snaps puffy? ›

    A whole egg (rather than just the yolk) gives the cookie some levity (/puffiness) while keeping the cookie nice and tender. A blend of baking powder and baking soda (rather than just soda)

    How do you know when ginger cookies are done? ›

    Toothpick Test – This is one of the most common ways to check cookie doneness, and it can be used for many other desserts as well. Insert a toothpick into the centre of a cookie. If it comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it, the cookies are done.

    Why are my ginger snap cookies flat? ›

    Too little flour and too much sugar are often the source of flat cookies, so measure carefully and accurately by using dry measuring spoons and cups for dry ingredients (so that you can spoon the ingredients into them and sweep away the excess) and use cups with pouring spouts for liquids.

    What type of molasses is best for gingerbread? ›

    Choose unsulfured molasses when possible, since sulfur dioxide can leave an unpleasant, chemical-like aftertaste, according to Smith. “Unsulfured molasses is derived from processed mature sugar cane,” she said. “It's rich in flavor with a smoky depth. The most natural.

    Should gingerbread be soft or crunchy? ›

    Should gingerbread cookies be hard or soft? Soft gingerbread biscuits are ideal. They ought to be flexible. However, they should still be somewhat elastic, and if you hold them too firmly because you're so excited to eat them, you might even be able to leave your fingerprints on the cookie!

    Why do my ginger snap cookies go flat? ›

    Check your oven

    If your oven is too hot, the fat melts faster than the cookie can set, and you end up with pancake cookies. Always preheat your oven and invest in a good oven thermometer. Even new ovens can be incorrectly calibrated, so check the actual temperature every time you put a pan in the oven.

    Why didn t my molasses cookies crackle? ›

    Why didn't my molasses crinkle cookies crack? You likely need to have more sugar on the tops of the cookies before baking. The sugar helps dry out the top layer before the rest of the cookie bakes, which is what causes those deep crinkles.

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