Chewy Gingersnap Cookies
Soft, chewy, and bursting with ginger and molasses, these chewy gingersnap cookies will make your kitchen smell just like the holidays!
There’s something magical about baking gingersnaps during the holiday season. The aroma of ginger, cinnamon, and molasses wafting through the house is basically Christmas in a bowl.
And let’s be real—baking cookies while watching Christmas movies is basically a seasonal requirement for our little family.
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There are so many delicious cookies to make at this time of year, like chocolate candy cane kiss crinkle cookies, easy melted snowman sugar cookies, and Christmas cake mix cookies.
Check out this roundup of Christmas cookie recipes for even more yummy treats to make for your next holiday cookie exchange.
Today I want to share one of Cam’s favorite holiday recipes, chewy gingersnap cookies. They are incredibly easy to make, delicious, and bursting with that ginger molasses flavor that the whole family loves!
I hope that you are enjoying the holidays with friends and family. We have a few traditions left to celebrate before the big day. Baking cookies clearly being one of them!
Tips for Holiday Baking
- Double or triple recipes to make large batches of goodies. This allows cookies and bars to be made in an assembly line fashion and speeds up the process.
- Pick holiday recipes that complement each other and look good plated together. For example, every year I like to make candy cane brownies, eggnog cookies, cranberry and pistachio shortbread, and peppermint dipped chocolate cookies for a good variety.
- Participate in a holiday baking exchange! This is a great way to prepare for a season of holiday entertaining.
- Start baking early and store goodies in the freezer until they are needed. I use these large Rubbermaid food storage containers to save a mixture of cookies and bars in my freezer so that I have them ready to go for Christmas parties and gatherings all season long.
Cam began homeschooling last month and making this simple gingersnap cookie recipe has been one of his favorite “school” activities so far. We have just started to explore the world of homeschooling, but so far it has been hugely beneficial for my spirited little guy.
I can’t wait to make many more cookies with him! Now let’s dive into all the delicious recipe details!
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour – The sturdy backbone of this gingersnap cookie recipe, providing the structure for that perfect chewiness.
- Ground ginger – This zesty spice brings the bold flavor that makes these cookies the ultimate holiday classic.
- Baking soda – This humble hero gives the dough a little lift.
- Ground cinnamon – Warm and aromatic, cinnamon adds cozy holiday vibes to every bite.
- Salt – A touch of salt makes all the flavors pop, balancing the sweetness and spices beautifully.
- Butter – Creamy, unsalted butter is the secret to rich, tender cookies.
- White sugar – Sweet and simple, sugar creates that classic crackly top while keeping the centers soft.
- Egg – A classic binder, this little guy brings all the ingredients together for a perfect cookie.
- Molasses – Rich and sticky molasses gives the cookies their signature depth of flavor.
- Sugar (reserved) – Rolling unbaked cookies in a bit of extra sugar adds a crunchy texture and a touch of sparkle to every cookie. Try coarse sugar for even more crunch.
- Ground cinnamon (reserved) – When paired with sugar, the cinnamon sugar coating creates the ultimate spiced crust on your cookies.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease or line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together butter, sugar, egg, and molasses.
- Mix in the dry ingredients and combine until a soft dough forms.
- In a separate small bowl, mix the reserved sugar and cinnamon together.
- Roll the dough into balls and coat each one in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Tip: A cookie scoop works perfectly for creating uniformly-sized balls.
- Place dough balls on prepared baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes.
Tips and Tricks
- You can whip these cookies up in no time using either a hand mixer or in your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Use room temperature butter. Softened butter mixes better with the wet ingredients, creating a smooth cookie dough.
- After rolling the balls of dough, pop them in the fridge to chill for 15-20 minutes. This helps them keep their shape while baking and ensures a chewy texture.
- For that perfectly chewy center, monitor the baking time carefully. Pull them out when they’re set on the edges, but still soft in the center.
- These cookies stay fresh and chewy for up to a week if stored properly in an airtight container. Bonus: they freeze beautifully, so you can have perfect Christmas cookies all season long!
- Experiment with add-ins like chopped candied ginger, chocolate chips, or nuts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my cookies too hard?
Overbaking is the main culprit! For chewy cookies, pull them out just as the centers look slightly underdone. They’ll continue to set on the cookie sheet after being removed from the oven.
Why do my gingersnaps lack that classic cracked surface?
The iconic cracks on gingersnap cookies come from a combination of rolling the dough in sugar and baking at the right temperature. The sugar layer dries out the surface as the cookies bake, causing cracks. Make sure to preheat your oven fully to ensure the dough expands and cracks as intended. Using fresh baking soda and properly creaming your butter and sugar can also help.
Can I use blackstrap molasses?
Blackstrap molasses is much darker and less sweet than regular molasses, so it will give your cookies a deeper flavor. Use it sparingly or stick to regular molasses for best results.
Can I make these gluten-free?
Absolutely! Substitute the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Just make sure to adjust the dough’s consistency as needed.
This chewy gingersnap cookie recipe is one that you are going to want to save and make over and over again. I know that we do! These cookies have an incredible depth of flavor and the perfect texture – not too hard, not too soft.
It’s just the right amount of chewiness to make you reach for seconds (or thirds!). It’s hard to find a gingersnap cookie recipe that is the right amount of “chewy”, but I promise you that this is it! Anyone who requests gingersnap cookies absolutely loves these ones.
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My Kitchen Essentials for Baking
- I love using this non-stick bakeware for all of my baking.
- These silicone mitts are perfect for grasping hot pans and baking dishes.
- This Henckel Knife is my favorite for slicing and dicing in the kitchen.
- These parchment paper bags are perfect for packaging and these large Rubbermaid food storage containers are great for storing baking in the freezer.
These homemade gingersnap cookies have become a holiday classic in our home, and I can’t wait for them to become one in yours. With their chewy centers, spicy warmth, and nostalgic holiday vibes, these cookies are bound to be your favorite holiday cookie too.
Get ready to fill your house with the coziest smells of the holiday season. Happy baking!
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Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup butter
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1/4 cup sugar reserve
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon reserve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a medium bowl, cream together butter sugar, egg and molasses.
- Mix in the dry ingredients and combine until a soft dough forms.
- Mix the reserved sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
- Roll the dough into Tbsp sized balls and coat in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Place on greased cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes