You will love these crunchy, spicy gingersnap cookies and their sugary, crinkle tops. These cookies scream Christmas time! They belong on every holiday cookie tray!
Gingersnap cookies have to be one of the most underrated cookies. I’ve loved them since I was a little girl. I remember eating box after box every time I went to my grandma’s house. I never had a homemade gingersnap until I was an adult. Once I realized how quick and easy they are to make, I began making them every year at Christmas.
There is no chilling time for this recipe, it contains ingredients you likely have on hand, and you can have warm cookies in about thirty minutes! I am also happy to report they are canine approved…
Gingersnap Cookies Ingredient Line Up
- Fats – I use a combination of shortening and room temperature butter for these cookies, heavier on the shortening. I don’t often bake with shortening, but it produces an extra crispy cookie. Butter results in a chewier cookie. I use this ratio because it creates a cookie that’s crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. Feel free to adjust the shortening and butter ratio to your preferences!
- Sugar – Granulated sugar provides a sweet crunch to the cookies. I also use coarse sugar to roll the cookie dough in, but granulated also works there.
- Large egg
- Molasses – Use unsulphured or dark molasses. This adds that unique richness and depth of flavor you expect from ginger cookies.
- Unbleached, all purpose flour – Spoon and level your flour when measuring. Too much flour = dense and dry cookies.
- Spices – Ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves add a warm dimension to the cookies.
- Salt
- Baking soda – A whopping two teaspoons will ensure our cookies aren’t too flat.
Gingersnap Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar divided
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup molasses
- 2 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon divided
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, shortening, and 1 cup of sugar on medium high until creamy – about 2 minutes.
- Beat in the salt and baking soda.
- Beat in the egg and molasses.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, 1 tsp cinnamon, and cloves.
- Add the dry ingredients to the mixer and beat on low speed until fully incorporated. The dough will be stiff.
- Combine the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon in a small bowl. You can use coarse sugar if you want larger sugar granules on the tops of your cookies.
- Form the dough into balls. Roll them into the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Place them on baking sheets about 3 inches apart. They will spread quite a bit!
- Bake the cookies 11-12 minutes, depending on the size of your cookies.
Other Holiday Cookies you will love:
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