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by Baker BettieNovember 14, 2019
These crispy gingersnap cookies honor the “snap” part of the name. They’re thin and crispy and pair fresh ginger with ground ginger for an extra punch of flavor!
Crispy Gingersnap Cookies Overview
- Skill Level: Beginner
- Techniques Used: Creaming Method for Cookies
In my opinion gingersnap cookies must be crispy! The name dictates it and these cookies won’t let you down.
To make my ultimate crispy gingersnap cookies, I wanted to add some fresh ginger into the mix. It adds a nice punch of spiciness to the cookies and really brings the ginger flavor to the forefront. This holiday classic couldn’t be left out of my holiday cookie recipe series and you should definitely consider adding them to your lineup this season!
How to Make Crispy Gingersnap Cookies
Step 1: Cream the Butter and Sugar Together
It is important to cream the butter and sugar together really well to ensure that the cookies spread out thin and get crispy. You want to mix on medium/high speed for about 2-3 minutes until very fluffy.
We’re also going to mix the fresh ginger into the mixture at this point. Fat helps carry flavor so it will help bring out the fresh ginger flavor more.
Step 2: Mix in the Molasses, Eggs, and Extracts
Next, we’re going to mix in the wet ingredients. This includes molasses, an egg, and some vanilla extract. The molasses is going to add a lot of depth of flavor to the gingersnaps.
Step 3: Mix in the Dry Ingredients
Once we move into the dry ingredients, I like to start with all of the spices before adding in the flour. This helps evenly distribute them without dirtying another bowl to mix all the dry ingredients together.
Once the spices are all evenly mixed through, add the flour into the mixing bowl. Mix until the flour is just absorbed into the dough. This should only take about 30 seconds. If you over-mix the dough your cookies can become dry.
Step 4: Chill the Dough
This dough will be very sticky after it is mixed and it needs to be chilled so that you can roll it easily. Chill for at least 45 minutes until it is easy to handle.
Step 5: Shape and Bake
Roll about 1 1/2 TBSP of dough per cookie and the roll them in granulated sugar to coat. Then you will want to flatten out the cookies so they will be thin when baked. I like to use the bottom of a glass to press them down.
Sprinkle a little more sugar over the tops and then bake until golden brown. If you want the cookies to be crispy all the way through you want to bake them at a lower temperature for a longer amount of time. But if you prefer the centers to be slightly chewy, you will want to bake them at a little higher temperature for less time. See recipe for details.
Yield: About 25- 3" Cookies
Crispy Gingersnap Cookies
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Chilling Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
These crispy gingersnap cookies honor the “snap” part of the name. They’re thin and crispy and pair fresh ginger with ground ginger for an extra punch of flavor!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (170 gr) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (105 gr) dark brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup (100 gr) granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 TBSP (11 gr) grated fresh ginger
- 1/4 cup (80 gr) unsulphured molasses
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 gr) baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (3 gr) ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon (1 gr) ground cloves
- 2 cups + 2 TBSP (255 gr) all purpose flour (measured properly by spooning into the measuring cup without packing down and level off)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar for rolling
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream together the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and fresh ginger on medium/high speed until light and fluffy. This will take about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract into the bowl and mix until incorporated.
- Add the baking soda, salt, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves into the bowl. Mix until incorporated. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix a few turns again to make sure the ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Add the flour into the mixing bowl and mix until just incorporated. This shouldn't take longer than about 30 seconds. The more your mix, the dryer your cookies will become.
- Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 45 minutes - 1 hour until firm enough to be rolled.
- Preheat the oven to 325 F (160 C). Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
- Scoop dough balls about 1 1/2 TBSP each. Roll between palms into a ball and then roll in granulated sugar. Space the cookies out evenly between the two sheet pans and use the bottom of a glass to flatten them out to about 1/4" thick. Sprinkle more sugar over the tops before baking if desired.
- For cookies that are crispy all the way through, bake at 325 F (160 F) for 17-20 minutes. Rotate the pans halfway through baking. For cookies with a slightly chewy center and crispy edges, bake at 350 F (170 C) for 13-15 minutes.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the sheet pans for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks, or frozen for up to 3 months.
Notes
*recipe adapted from Joy of Baking
- If you would like to prep the dough ahead of time, you can bake it and shape the dough. Place the shaped cookies on a sheet pan and place in the freezer until frozen solid. Move them into a freezer ziplock and store for up to 3 months. When you want to bake them, Remove from the freezer and place on parchment lined baking sheets. Let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking.
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Manisha —Reply
Hi Bettie, we don’t get molasses very easily here in India. Could you please recommend a substitute…
Jackie Hewitt —Reply
This is the 2nd time I have made these now and they are scrummy but they are time consuming.
Anne —Reply
I have a question. Why use ground ginger at all? Why not use more fresh ginger?
Baker Bettie —Reply
Some recipes do call for fresh ginger instead of ground. I’m using ground because it’s more concentrated than fresh. By using ground I won’t alter the texture of the cookie dough like you would by using fresh.
Kara —Reply
I don’t always have fresh ginger on hand so if I opt to use only ground ginger, how much would you suggest to use? 3 tsp rather than 2?
Baker Bettie —Reply
Yes, 3 tsp sounds good!
Cathy Morrison —Reply
I’ll never purchase ginger snaps from the grocery store again! These cookies turned out perfectly. I did add about 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, I like a little extra kick. Thanks for an amazing recipe.
Baker Bettie —Reply
I love the idea of cayenne!
