These Old Fashioned Ginger Snap Cookies are soft, chewy, and perfectly spiced. Rolled in sugar before baking, they come out with crackly tops, crisp edges, and chewy centers that nearly melt in your mouth.
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I've tested dozens of holiday cookie recipes, and this is the one I come back to year after year. With just a handful of pantry ingredients, one mixing bowl, and less than 20 minutes of your time, you'll have cookies that taste just like the ones Grandma used to make.
For an extra special treat, serve them with Little Debbie Christmas Tree Dip.
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What Makes This Recipe Work
I've tried many gingersnap variations, and here's why this one is my keeper:
- The spice blend - Just the right amount of ginger and cinnamon will have your kitchen smelling like Christmas in under 10 minutes.
- The sugar roll - Rolling the dough balls in sugar before baking creates those sparkly, crackly tops. Skip it and they just aren't the same.
- The bake time - 8 minutes for soft and chewy, 10 minutes for crispier cookies. It's that simple.
- No chilling required - You can go straight from mixing to baking, which is perfect for busy holiday baking days.
Ingredients for Old Fashioned Ginger Snap Cookies
Here's what you'll need for this recipe (see recipe card below for exact measurements):
- All-purpose flour. Spoon and level for accuracy.
- Sugar. I used white granulated sugar for the dough and some extra for rolling. You could also use cane sugar.
- Butter. Use unsalted butter at room temperature so it creams easily. If you only have salted butter, reduce the added salt slightly.
- Unsulphured molasses. I used Fancy molasses for the perfect chew, color, and that classic flavor. I do not recommend using blackstrap molasses as they are too bitter for this recipe.
- Spices. All you need are ground ginger and cinnamon.
- Baking soda. Helps the cookies rise and crackle.
How To Make Old Fashioned Ginger Snap Cookies
For more detailed instructions with measurements, jump to the recipe card.
Quick Overview
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Cream butter, sugar, egg, and molasses.
- Stir in dry ingredients.
- Roll into balls, roll in sugar.
- Bake 8 minutes (chewy) or 10 minutes (crispy).
Mix wet ingredients
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Cream butter and white sugar together in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer (stand mixer or hand mixer) until light and fluffy. Add the egg and molasses and beat until smooth.
Add dry ingredients
Add flour, baking soda, ground ginger, and ground cinnamon. Stir just until combined.
Roll in sugar
Place extra sugar in a small bowl. Scoop the cookie dough (about 1 tablespoon per cookie) and roll into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in sugar until fully coated. Place them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart.
Bake
Bake at 350°F for 8 minutes for soft and chewy cookies, or up to 10 minutes for crispy ginger snaps.
Cool
Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer with a spatula to a wire cooling rack.
Variations
Extra spice - Add a pinch of cloves or nutmeg for an extra touch of holiday flavor.
Brown sugar twist - Swap half the white sugar for brown sugar to add a hint of caramel.
Holiday dip - Sandwich two cookies with cream cheese frosting or dip half in white chocolate for a festive treat.
Gift-ready - Stack cookies in jars, tie with ribbon, and you've got the perfect homemade gift.
Jeri's Top Tips
- Pull cookies at 8 minutes for chewy centers; at 10 minutes they'll have more snap.
- Make sure butter and egg are at room temperature before mixing - cold ingredients don't cream properly.
- Always roll the dough in sugar. It's what gives the cookies their crackly crust.
- Bake one tray at a time for even results. Rotating halfway through can help if your oven cooks unevenly.
- Freeze extra dough balls for fresh-baked cookies anytime, or freeze baked cookies.
Storage and Make Ahead
Room temperature - Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Freezer (baked) - Freeze in freezer bags for up to 3 months.
Freezer (dough balls) - Place raw dough balls on a baking sheet until frozen, then transfer them to a bag. Bake straight from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the cooking time.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overbaking - 2 minutes too long will turn chewy cookies into rocks.
- Using blackstrap molasses - It's too bitter for this recipe. Stick with fancy or unsulphured.
- Crowding the pan - These spread. Leave at least 2 inches between cookies.
- Skipping the sugar roll - Without it, you lose that signature sparkle and crunch.
Serving Suggestions
These cookies are perfect with coffee, tea, or a tall glass of milk, but during the holidays, I love to turn them into part of a festive dessert spread. Try pairing them with:
- A cookie tray stacked with Air Fryer Peanut Butter Cookes, Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Chocolate Crinkle Cookies.
- A cozy dessert plate alongside my classic Canadian Raisin Butter Tarts and Soft Peanut Brittle.
- A festive platter with Double Chocolate Peppermint Bark, Christmas Cracker Toffee, Graham Cracker Toffee, and Christmas Fudge.
- Crumbled over No-Bake Mini Biscoff Cheesecakes or sprinkled on top of Hot Cocoa Dip.
- Served warm with a mug of my Instant Pot Hot Chocolate.
Recipe FAQs
They were overcooked. For softer cookies, pull them at 8 minutes.
Not quite. Molasses cookies are softer with more molasses flavor. Gingersnaps are spicier with a crisper texture.
More Holiday Cookie Recipes
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Printable Recipe
Old Fashioned Ginger Snap Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 cup white sugar (plus extra for rolling)
- 1 large egg
- 4 tablespoons Fancy molasses (unsulphured molasses)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1¼ teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Step 1: Prep. Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Step 2: Mix wet Ingredients. Cream unsalted butter and white sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg and molasses and beat until smooth.
- Step 3: Add dry Ingredients. Add flour, baking soda, ground ginger, and ground cinnamon to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Stir to combine.
- Step 4: Sugar. Place sugar in a small bowl. Scoop up a spoonful of cookie dough with a small cookie scoop and roll it into a 1-inch ball. Roll each ball in sugar until fully coated. Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart.
- Step 5: Bake. Bake the cookies at 350℉ for 8 minutes for soft and chewy cookies, or up to 10 minutes for crispier ginger snaps.
- Step 6: Cool. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet. Carefully transfer them to a wire rack with a spatula to cool completely.
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Notes
- White sugar works best for rolling the dough balls, but cane sugar or turbinado sugar will also work.
- These cookies spread while baking, so give them plenty of room on the baking sheet (2 inches apart).
- For the best texture, pull the cookies at 8 minutes for chewy centers. If you prefer more snap, bake them for 10 minutes.
- Leftover cookies store well at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 week, or freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition information is automatically calculated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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