A soft Gingersnap Cookie Recipe! These cookies are perfectly spiced (with just the right amount of heat) and come together with no chilling required! Simple and perfect for this holiday season (though you’ll find me eating them all year ’round).
Snap-less Gingersnap Cookies
By popular demand! I asked many of you on Instagram and in my Facebook group whether Gingersnaps should be crisp and snappy or if they should be soft and chewy. Many of you felt the same way that I do: they “should” be snappy (I mean, they’re called Gingersnaps, after all), but what is better than a soft and chewy cookie?
I went back and forth over which version to share before someone suggested: Why not both?
So that’s what we’re doing today! Earlier this week I shared a more traditional, crispy Gingersnap cookie and today we have a super soft and chewy gingersnap version that I think you’re going to love just as much. These remind me of my molasses cookies, only spiced more like my classic Gingerbread. Like a super soft and less fussy Gingerbread cookie!
Ingredients for Soft Gingersnap Cookies
How to Make Soft Gingersnap Cookies
The spices we’re using today are pretty similar to the ones that we used for our crispy gingersnaps:
- Ground ginger (obviously)
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground cloves
- Ground cayenne pepper
- Molasses (not technically a spice, but a key flavor factor, so we’re counting it here anyway!).
Don’t be intimidated by the cayenne. I know it’s not a traditional cookie ingredient but it is often used in gingersnaps and adds to that signature heat that you feel on the back of your tongue after you polish off a cookie.
Other factors that make these similarly-spiced cookies so different from their snappy counterparts:
- A higher ratio of butter to flour.
- A whole egg (rather than just the yolk) gives the cookie some levity (/puffiness) while keeping the cookie nice and tender
- A blend of baking powder and baking soda (rather than just soda)
Tips for Making Soft Gingersnap Cookies
This is a pretty straightforward cookie recipe, but here are a few tips that might help you along the way!
- I recommend using dark brown sugar. Dark brown sugar has more molasses in it than its light counterpart, which enhances the flavor of these cookies (and lends a bit more moisture to the cookie crumb!). However, if you don’t have dark brown, light will work in a pinch!
- If your cookie dough is too sticky to roll between your palms, you can stir in another Tablespoon of flour or chill the dough in the refrigerator (covered) for 30 minutes.
- Rolling the cookie dough through granulated sugar is optional. I like the slightly crisp exterior it adds, and this also helps encourage those beautiful crackles on the surface of our cookies.
- Let your cookies finish baking on the cookie sheet! They should still be just slightly under-done when you pull them out of the oven, and this is perfect! They’ll be too fragile to move off of the baking sheet, so let them cool completely and finish baking on the hot pan before removing them.
- These cookies can be stored in an airtight container and will stay nice and soft for up to a week.
- Cookie dough can be rolled into balls, rolled through sugar, and frozen (in an airtight container). Cookies may need an extra minute or so in the oven.
Which do you prefer? Crispy or Soft Gingersnap cookies?
Either way, enjoy!
More Great Holiday Cookie Recipes
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Soft & Chewy Gingersnap Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened (170g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar 100g
- ½ cup dark brown sugar firmly packed (100g)
- 3 Tablespoons unsulphured molasses
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ tsp ground cayenne pepper
- 1 large egg
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour 280g
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- Additional granulated sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer) use an electric mixer to beat together butter and sugars until creamy and well-combined.
- Add molasses, vanilla extract, and spices (ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and cayenne pepper) and stir well.
- Stir in egg.
- In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually stir dry ingredients into wet until completely combined.
- Scoop dough into 1 ½ Tablespoon-sized balls and roll between your palms to form a smooth ball (if dough is too sticky to manage, you can chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes). Roll cookie dough ball through sugar until it’s completely coated and then place on prepared baking sheet, spacing cookies at least 2” apart.
- Bake on 350F (175C) for 10-11 minutes. Allow cookies to cool completely on baking sheet before enjoying.
Notes
Nutrition
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Tracy
I’m used to making a Betty Crocker soft gingersnap cookie recipe that uses shortening instead of butter so I wasn’t sure how these would turn out. They are beyond delicious. I didn’t have the cayenne pepper on hand but bought some for the next time. I will definitely make these again. Thank you for another easy and delicious recipe!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Tracy! 🙂
Christina B
I made both the chewy & crispier version. Both came out perfectly! Hubby loves the “snappier” version but I love this chewy version. Still has some snap. Just the right amount of chewy. As always, thank you for sharing with us!
Sam
You’re welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed them both. 🙂
Dana
I’ve made these several times and they never disappoint! This time, though, I finely chopped up some candied ginger and added it to the dough. It added a lot more of the ginger flavor and a bit of the heat that comes with it. I highly recommend everyone try the addition!
Melanie
hi! would it be possible to use melted butter?
Sam
Hi Melanie! The cookies will be flatter and they will need to chill longer if you use melted butter. 🙂
Krisztina
Hi Sam!
Thank you for the recipe, I’m super keen to try it. Unfortunately, where I live I cannot find any molasses, could I possibly use a substitute, and if so, what would the best substitute be?
Thank you!
Sam
Hi Krisztina! Do you have dark treacle? That would work as a substitute (use an equal amount). I hope that helps!
Krisztina
Thank you for the reply!
Dark treacle and molasses are not differentiated in my country, they’re the same thing so unfortunately I have access to neither. I was thinking of using maple syrup instead, do you think that would work? And if so, at what ratio?
Sam
It’s honestly a little hard for me to say for sure without having tried it myself but I think maple syrup or honey or even corn syrup *could* work as a substitute (use the same amount that is called for for the molasses). Keep in mind, though, that molasses and treacle have a very distinct flavor that is part of what makes these cookies actually taste like gingersnaps and eliminating this ingredient will change the flavor profile quite a bit. I can’t think of another substitute that would have quite the same flavor.
Krisztina
Thanks so much for the advice! I’ll let you know how it turns out 😀 And next time when I’m back in NZ (where I know I can find molasses) I will try it out as is 🙂
Pat Mattoon
These cookies are awesome!! i did add a pinch of nutmeg just because its my favorite spice.
I did have a question though, why add the spices to the creamed butter mixture instead of the flour mixture?
Sam
Hi Pat! It helps to enhance the flavors. 🙂
Alan
These were delicious! I trusted you about the pepper and you were right. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the gingersnaps, Alan! The pepper really makes so much difference. 🙂
Mandy van der Merwe
I have been making ginger snaps for years but could never get it to have the cracks. Finally got it. Mine is not exactly chewy but it is because I tweaked it a bit to be the South African way. I also added a bit of nutmeg and used golden syrup instead of molasses. Love your recipes!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you for trying my recipe, Mandy! I am so glad that you enjoyed the gingersnap cookies. 🙂
Harriette
By far the best chewy ginger cookies I’ve made — do not skip the cayenne!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the cookies and the touch of cayenne, Harriette! Thank you so much for commenting. 🙂
Lori
Delicious! Didn’t have cayenne pepper on hand.
Sam
So glad to hear that you enjoyed the gingersnaps, Lori! Thank you for commenting!
Nursecammi
Omg this is another awesome recipe!!❤️❤️ We had a friendly “snap off” today at work to determine the best ginger snap recipe and of course I won with this recipe!! To really bring home the win I rolled mine in cane sugar!! The bigger sugar crystals added flair to the already amazing recipe!! Keep up the good work!!!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much! Congrats on your win, Cammi! I am so glad that everyone enjoyed the gingersnaps.:)
Judy M Register
Going to try this recipe it will be served after the Christmas program at church . Can u omit the Cayenne pepper?
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Judy! Yes, you can omit the cayenne pepper. I hope that these are a hit at your church. 🙂
Judy M Register
Thank U so much for your reply !! Love your recipes and website .
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Judy!
Gabby
Your cookies are awesome. I love me a good soft ginger cookie. But sometimes I don’t really need a whole batch. How do I half an egg?
Sam
You can beat the egg it in a bowl and then just use half of it (I usually just eyeball it). I hope that helps, and am so glad you have been enjoying the recipes! 🙂