Sprinkle of Science

How to Make Thin & Crispy Gingersnaps

What are Gingersnaps?

Gingersnaps are just what they sound like: a cookie flavored with ginger, plus other spices that we’ll talk more about below. They are typically crunchy or have a brittle texture, thus the “snap”. The spiciness of the ginger and richness of the molasses pair perfectly with coffee, tea, hot cocoa, or mulled wine.

A year-round favorite all over the world, Gingersnaps are particularly popular to welcome in the fall and winter holiday seasons. Perfectly spiced, these cookies have the most beautiful cracked, sugary tops. I love these cookies in the fall, when the temperatures are slowly beginning to drop. They’re delicious with a glass of cold milk or even lemonade – and even better when used in place of graham crackers for over-the-top Gingersnap S’mores or to make ice cream sandwiches!

Why Roll the Dough in Sugar?

Rolling the cookie dough balls in sugar contributes to the overall texture of the cookies as well as the cracky tops. It helps to draw moisture out from the surface of the cookies while they bake, though the majority of the “crackliness” comes from the baking soda and molasses.

Feel free to skip this step if preferred, but your cookies won’t be quite as crisp and won’t look as pretty.

• To avoid ending up with Gingersnaps that are thick, hard, or dense instead of perfectly crispy, make sure to measure your flour accurately with a digital kitchen scale.
• It’s so easy to accidentally add too much flour if you’re measuring by using cups.
• If you don’t have a scale, use the spoon and level method to measure.
• Just take a look at what a difference too much flour can make:

• Make sure your spices, especially the ground ginger, are fresh and of high quality.
• If your spices no longer smell very aromatic, toss them and purchase new spices.
• The fresher the spice, the more flavorful it’ll be.
• While I haven’t tried it, you can also experiment with crystallized ginger, but expect your cookies to be a little more sugary.
• If you want more spice in your gingersnaps, add a tablespoon or two of freshly grated ginger.
• You can also add a pinch of cayenne pepper or a little black pepper.
• In addition to the spices, the molasses used is also important. More on this just below.

The Molasses

Make sure to use unsulphured molasses. Never use blackstrap molasses in baking, it’s extremely bitter. Brer Rabbit or Grandma’s in their ‘mild’ or ‘original’ flavors tend to work best.

How to Freeze Gingersnap Cookies

Store baked, cooled Gingersnap Cookies in the freezer inside an airtight container for up to 1 month.

Alternatively, portion out the balls of cookie dough, roll in sugar, place them on a baking sheet, and freeze for 1 hour or until solid. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Bake cookies from frozen, reducing the temperature to 325°F and adding a couple minutes to the baking time. Learn more about freezing cookie dough here.

More Christmas Cookie Recipes:

• Easy Cut Out Sugar Cookies
• Soft Chewy Sugar Cookies
• Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
• Christmas Lofthouse Cookies
• Gingerbread Men Cookies