These are soft and chewy gingersnap cookies that are filled with warm spices, molasses, and have those classic crinkle tops. The holiday season wouldn't be complete without these timeless Christmas cookies!
These are the best gingersnap cookies because they have that classic ginger flavor and just the right amount of chewiness.
Along with having ground cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, they're also flavored with molasses, like all gingerbread cookies should be.
Looking for more holiday cookies? Then check out these: candy cane chocolate chip cookies, chocolate marshmallow cookies, and red velvet crinkle cookies.
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Why You'll Love These Cookies
- They're soft, chewy, and slightly crunchy.
- They are a no-chill cookie and can be baked right away.
- Each bite just melts-in-your-mouth.
- They are a classic holiday cookie, perfect for cookie trays.
- From start to finish, they take less than 30 minutes to make!
Gingersnap cookies are known for either being soft or chewy, but these are the best of both worlds.
These are definitely some of my favorite cookies to make every Christmas season and I can't wait for you to try them!
Ingredients Needed
Here are some notes on the ingredients we'll be using. For the full ingredient list, look at the recipe card below.
- Butter: The butter needs to be at room temperature in order to create that soft and chewy consistency. Be sure to use unsalted butter.
- Molasses: Adds a touch of sweetness and gives the cookies their beautiful color. I highly recommend Grandmas's Molasses (not sponsored). It's an unsulphured molasses that contains no preservatives and is highly reliable.
- Spices: I used a combination of ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.
- Flour: I used all-purpose flour.
Instructions
Here are the step by step instructions on how to make this gingersnap cookie recipe.
Step 1: Cream the butter. In a large bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and white sugar on high speed until combined and creamy.
Step 2: Wet ingredients. Add the molasses, large egg, vanilla extract, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves and mix on medium speed until combined.
Step 3: Dry ingredients. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
Step 3: Combine the ingredients. Slowly add the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until combined.
Step 4: Scoop the dough. Roll the cookie dough balls into sugar and place onto the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with the rest of the cookie dough.
Step 5: Bake. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before moving them onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
Storage Tips
Keep any leftover cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 7 days.
Expert Baking Tips
- Baking Sheet: I recommend this specific baking sheet. Line each pan with parchment paper.
- Measuring Flour: To help ensure you don’t add extra flour, follow these three simple steps: 1) Fluff up the flour using a fork. 2) Spoon the flour into your measuring cup. 3) Scrape a knife across the top of the measuring cup to level out the flour.
- Cookie Scoop: For this recipe I used my 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop.
- Crinkle Tops: To create the crackly top look, roll each cookie dough ball into granulated sugar before baking.
- Perfectly Shaped Cookies: The trick to getting more circular cookies is to use a round cookie cutter to essentially “rotate or spin” around each cookie immediately when they come out of the oven. Since they’re really hot, the cookies will easily mold to that perfect cookie shape as you move around them.
Recipe FAQs
Yes they can. Freeze the cookies on a baking sheet for about an hour and then transfer them to a freezer bag. You can keep them frozen for up to 2 months.
They taste slightly spicy from all of the different spices that are used, but also sweet from the molasses and granulated sugar.
If you made this recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below. I love hearing from you! Also, please tag me on Instagram and check out my Pinterest for even more recipe ideas.
It brings me so much joy to see you make my recipes. 🙂
Happy Baking!
More Christmas Cookie Recipes
📖 Recipe
Soft and Chewy Gingersnap Cookies
Equipment
- Baking Sheets
- Parchment paper
- Electric Stand Mixer
- Mixing Bowls
Ingredients:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ cup molasses
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup sugar for rolling cookie dough
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer using the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until combined (1-2 minutes). Then add the molasses, egg, vanilla extract, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves and mix on low speed just until combined. Use a silicone spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add it to the wet ingredients on low speed just until combined. Use your silicone spatula again to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Put the ¼ cup of sugar into a small bowl. Scoop the cookie dough into your hand using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop and roll it into a ball. Roll the ball into the sugar and place onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the cookie dough.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, just until the outside of the cookies start to brown a bit. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes (they will be soft when they come out of the oven) and then transfer them over to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Keep any leftover cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 7 days.
Notes:
-
- Baking Sheet: I recommend this specific baking sheet. Line each pan with parchment paper.
-
- Measuring Flour: To help ensure you don’t add extra flour, follow these three simple steps: 1) Fluff up the flour using a fork. 2) Spoon the flour into your measuring cup. 3) Scrape a knife across the top of the measuring cup to level out the flour.
-
- Cookie Scoop: For this recipe I used my 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop.
-
- Crinkle Tops: To create the crackly top look, roll each cookie dough ball into granulated sugar before baking.
-
- Perfectly Shaped Cookies: The trick to getting more circular cookies is to use a round cookie cutter to essentially “rotate or spin” around each cookie immediately when they come out of the oven. Since they’re really hot, the cookies will easily mold to that perfect cookie shape as you move around them.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in December of 2020, but was updated on November 4, 2023 with newer content.
Perfect! The spices make this cookie everything I want in a ginger cookie! I measured my flour with a spoon as was stated in the instructions but my batter was too wet to roll so I treated the batter like a drop cookie and sprinkled the sugar on top. They turned out wonderfully! Just enough chew and the sugar gave me the added texture I wanted. These are now my go to ginger cookies! Yum!!
I'm so glad you loved them, Callie!
How should the molasses be measured? With a dry measuring cup or a liquid measuring cup? Looking forward to trying these.
Hi Sarah! Either one is fine, but I typically just use a dry measuring cup. Can't wait for you to try them!