Chewy Old Fashioned Ginger Snap Cookies

These old fashioned ginger snap cookies are the ultimate combination of sweet, spicy, soft, and chewy, with a slightly crisp exterior. The spice combination of ginger, cinnamon, and cloves will make your kitchen smell like the holidays, and you can even make them vegan and/or gluten free. These mouth-watering cookies are perfect for a holiday cookie exchange!

By using molasses and brown sugar, these old fashioned ginger snap cookies are chewy, rich, and moist, with complex flavor.

You can also refrigerate or freeze the dough and bake at a later date.

Add them to your holiday cookie platter, along with cardamom shortbread cookies, chocolate chip coconut macaroons, and peanut butter balls.

Jump to:

• ⭐️ Why These Ginger Snap Cookies are the Best
• 🥚 Ingredient Notes
• 📝 Variations & Substitutions
• 🥄 How To Make Ginger Snap Cookies
• 👩🏼‍🍳 Expert Tips
• 💬 Frequently Asked Questions
• 🍪 More Holiday Cookie Recipes
• Chewy Old Fashioned Ginger Snap Cookies

⭐️ Why These Ginger Snap Cookies are the Best

• Easy enough for beginners, using simple ingredients
• Beautiful and festive for the holidays
• Ginger snap recipe using brown sugar and molasses, creating cookies with a chewy interior and crispy exterior
• Just the right amount of spice
• Homemade gingers snaps pair perfectly with coffee or tea
• Make ahead instructions provided

🥚 Ingredient Notes

• Ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves - These cookies have a nice level of spice. Feel free to adjust to your liking.
• Brown sugar - Makes our gingersnap cookies chewy and adds notes of molasses. You can use either light or dark brown sugar in this recipe, but dark brown sugar contains more molasses, so you will get a deeper flavor with it.
• Unsalted butter - Using unsalted butter helps you control the amount of salt in your baking.
• Molasses - Adds moisture and rich flavor. Be sure to use unsulphured molasses for these cookies, not blackstrap molasses. Unsulphured molasses is the finest quality, and is the type that most grocery stores carry.
• Egg - Be sure to use a room temperature egg. This will prevent your egg from cooking when you combine it with the warm melted butter.

📝 Variations & Substitutions

• Orange zest. If you want to add another level of flavor, add a tablespoon of orange zest or candied citron. It will be a nice complement to the spiciness, and even more festive!
• Extra spicy. Amp up the spice by adding freshly grated ginger (1 teaspoon) or candied ginger (2 Tablespoons).
• Whole-wheat flour. Substitute up to ½ cup of whole-wheat flour for a nuttier taste and healthier cookie.
• Make dairy-free: Substitute vegan/plant-based butter.
• Make vegan: Use a flax egg and vegan butter.
• Make gluten-free: Substitute an equal amount of gluten-free all-purpose flour.

🥄 How To Make Ginger Snap Cookies

Whisk together dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Whisk in brown sugar.

Melt butter and add wet ingredients: In a small saucepan, melt butter and whisk into flour mixture with molasses and egg until well-combined.

Stir in remaining flour: With a wooden spoon stir in remaining 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour until combined well.

Chill dough: Chill your dough, covered, until firm, at least 1 hour, and up to 2 days. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Form into balls: Roll level tablespoons of dough into balls and in a small bowl roll balls in granulated sugar to coat.

Bake: Arrange balls about 2 inches apart on baking sheets and bake in batches in middle of oven until flattened and a shade darker, 10 to 12 minutes. Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes, and then transfer with a spatula to wire racks to cool completely.

*(Optional step): Dip completely cooled cookies into tempered chocolate (see Recipe Notes) until covered halfway and place on parchment-lined baking sheets until chocolate is completely set.

👩🏼‍🍳 Expert Tips

• Make ahead: Your cookie dough can be refrigerated up to 2 days in advance or stored in the freezer to be baked at a later date.
• Don't skip the step of chilling the dough. This allows the cookie dough to set up, and will prevent the cookies from flattening out when baked.
• Use unsulphured molasses for these cookies, not blackstrap molasses. Unsulphured molasses is the finest quality, and is the type that most grocery stores carry.
• How to store: Store gingersnap cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
• How to freeze: Place cookies in a freezer-safe bag and store in the freezer for up to 2 months. You can also freeze your portioned-out cookie dough and bake at a later date straight from the freezer.
• Use a room temperature egg. This will prevent your egg from cooking when you combine it with the warm melted butter.
• One of the easiest ways to temper chocolate is by using the microwave: Add chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate) to a microwave-safe bowl and melt for 1 minute. Remove from microwave and stir thoroughly. Return chocolate to microwave and melt for another minute. Remove and stir. Continue this process until chocolate is completely melted.

💬 Frequently Asked Questions

🍪 More Holiday Cookie Recipes

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