Gingersnap Cookies

2 days ago 5

A white plate piled with golden-brown, sugar-coated Gingersnap Cookies. In the blurred background, a glass jar of cinnamon, a small bowl of dark syrup, and some cookie crumbs are visible on a white surface.

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Make Gingersnap Cookies with simple pantry ingredients and an easy method. Great for gifting, freezing, or holiday baking without any special equipment.

Recipe at a Glance

Servings: 24

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Mixing bowls, whisk, mixer, parchment, cookie scoop

Warm spices, molasses depth, crisp edges with soft centers

Hand or stand mixer, baking sheet

Pull them when the centers look slightly soft — they continue setting as they cool.

Use a cookie scoop for even shaping and fast rolling.

Swap molasses for dark brown sugar if you’re out (reduce to 3 tablespoons).

A stack of six sugar-coated gingersnap cookies is shown on a white surface, with more cookies and jars of ingredients blurred in the background.

In the Test Kitchen

I tested these gingersnaps a few different ways before landing on this version. The trick was balancing the spices so they taste warm instead of harsh, and getting that classic crackly top without drying out the centers. The breakthrough came from using a touch more ginger than most recipes call for and slightly underbaking, letting the cookies finish setting on the tray. It gives you crisp edges and soft middles every time.

A close-up of several golden-brown Gingersnap Cookies with a cracked, sugar-coated surface, stacked together.

Ingredient Notes

A variety of baking ingredients for Gingersnap Cookies on a white countertop, including eggs, butter, flour, sugar, salt, molasses, and an assortment of spices and powders in jars and bowls.

Standard all-purpose flour with fresh baking soda for max spread and crackle.

A gluten-free 1:1 blend works, but cookies will be softer.

Ground ginger is the star — fresher spices give the most aroma.

You can omit cloves, allspice, or nutmeg if preferred; flavor will be milder.

Unsalted butter, plus a mix of granulated and brown sugar for the perfect crackle

Salted butter works — reduce added salt slightly.

Butter in dairy section; sugars in baking aisle.

Unsulfured molasses for that classic gingersnap depth.

Dark brown sugar (3 tablespoons) in a pinch.

Baking aisle near sweeteners.

You can find the full, printable recipe at the top of this post, but you can read the detailed instructions with photos for each step below.

Step By Step Instructions

Mix the Dry Ingredients

Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat so the cookies release easily. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt until the mixture looks even with no visible pockets of spice.

the left holds flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger for Gingersnap Cookies; the right shows these ingredients whisked together, ready to create delicious cookies.

Cream the Butter and Sugars

In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with the granulated and brown sugars until pale and fluffy — it should look airy and form soft peaks when the beaters lift.

the left shows brown sugar, white sugar, and butter in a glass bowl; the right shows the mixture creamed together with an electric hand mixer for perfectly fluffy Gingersnap Cookies.

Add the Egg and Molasses

Mix in the egg and molasses until the batter looks smooth and glossy, with no streaks remaining.

left, a mixing bowl with creamed ingredients for a Gingersnap Cookies recipe, an egg, and dark liquid; right, the same bowl with ingredients blended together using a hand mixer.

Form the Dough

Stir in the dry ingredients in two additions until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. It should pull away from the bowl but still feel tacky; a few tiny clumps mean the egg is fully blended.

A bowl of brown gingersnap cookie dough with a blue measuring spoon on the left, and a tray of evenly spaced, round cookies arranged in rows on the right.

Scoop the dough

Scoop the dough into small balls and roll each one in granulated sugar. Space them apart on the baking sheet and bake until the edges look crackly while the centers still appear slightly soft.

Four round dough balls being coated in sugar on a white plate, next to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper holding twelve evenly spaced gingersnap cookies ready to be baked.

Shape and Bake

Cool on the sheet before moving to a rack.

Round, golden-brown Gingersnap Cookies with crackled tops are arranged neatly on a metal cooling rack. The surface beneath the rack is white with light gray marbling.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Serves 24

▢ 2⅛ cups all-purpose flour (or 2 cups + 2 tablespoons)
▢ 4 teaspoons ground ginger
▢ 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
▢ ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
▢ ⅛ teaspoon allspice
▢ ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
▢ 2 teaspoons baking soda
▢ ½ teaspoon salt
▢ 12 tablespoons butter ((1½ sticks) softened)
▢ ¾ cup granulated sugar
▢ ¼ cup brown sugar
▢ 1 large egg
▢ ¼ cup molasses
▢ ½ cup granulated sugar

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and 1 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy — about 2–3 minutes using a hand or stand mixer.
Beat in the egg and molasses until fully combined. The mixture should be smooth and slightly glossy.
Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Stir until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Don’t overmix!
Scoop the dough into 1-inch balls (a tablespoon-sized cookie scoop works great). Roll each ball in the ½ cup granulated sugar to coat.
Place the sugared dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each one to allow for spreading.
Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are set and crackly but the centers still look slightly soft.
For crispier cookies: Bake 12–13 minutes
For chewier centers: Stick to 10 minutes
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Erren’s Top Tips

For the best crackle, coat generously in sugar — thin coverage won’t create those shiny fissures.
If your dough feels too sticky to roll, chill it for 10 minutes to firm it slightly.
Use light-colored cookie sheets for even browning; dark trays can overbake the bottoms.
For cookies that stay soft longer, store them with a slice of bread in the container.

Variations & Add-Ins

Extra Spicy Gingersnaps: Add an extra teaspoon of ginger and a pinch of white pepper for bite.
Orange Gingersnaps: Add 1 tablespoon orange zest to the wet ingredients for a citrus twist.
Chocolate-Dipped: Dip half the cooled cookie in melted dark chocolate.
Chewy Style: Swap ¼ cup granulated sugar for additional brown sugar for a softer texture.

Storage & Freezing

Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freeze Baked Cookies: Freeze up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature.
Freeze Dough Balls: Freeze sugared dough balls on a tray, then bag for baking straight from frozen (add 1–2 minutes to the bake time).