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!
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 (170 g) unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) dark brown sugar firmly packed
- 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 (280 g) all-purpose flour
- 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.¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, ½ cup (100 g) dark brown sugar, ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- Add molasses, vanilla extract, and spices (ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and cayenne pepper) and stir well.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
- Stir in egg.1 large egg
- In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.2 ¼ cups (280 g) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon 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.Additional granulated sugar for rolling
- Bake on 350F (175C) for 10-11 minutes. Allow cookies to cool completely on baking sheet before enjoying.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Zaza
My partner requested I make “chewy ginger cookies” so I tried this out. They just came out of the oven (at 3am – decided to do some midnight baking while he was away on a night shift 😂) and it tastes amazing! I must say, I was skeptical about the cayenne pepper, but added it anyways! It really amplifies the taste of the cookies! I did make a few other changes though.
Replaced molasses with honey
Replaced clove powder with extra 1/2 tsp ginger powder
Thinking of trying the macarons soon (a friend recommended your recipe – thats how I landed here at such an odd hour 🙈)
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed them so much! I hope you love the macarons. 🙂
Lily
I followed the recipe almost to a T. (didn’t add the cayenne) and they were a hit. They were even better the day after I made them. The bad part was that they were gone too fast so I’m making more today. 😀
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We are so happy everyone enjoyed them, Lily! 🩷
Heather Ogden
These are my favorite cookies ever their perfect.
Shelby
best batch of gingersnaps I’ve ever made! I did omit the cayenne and added allspice instead, but otherwise kept to the recipe. my daughter and I had so much fun making these, and she couldn’t wait till they were cooled completely before digging in!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We are so happy you enjoyed them, Shelby! Thanks for trying our recipe 😊
Ariana
Just made these and they are the BEST!! The cayenne adds a great little kick and they are perfect! I pressed a cup on them after baking to make them even thinner! Just delightful! Thank you!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We are so happy you enjoyed them, Ariana! Thanks for the review 🥰
Becca
These were wonderful. I took them to work and everyone loved them. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for trying our recipe, Becca! We’re so happy the cookies were a hit 😊
Dena
These were delicious – crispy from the sugar coating and moist inside. This is the third cookie recipe I have tried from you and they all have been exceptional. I can tell by your instructions and ingredients that you know what you’re doing! So glad I found this site.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Dena! 🙂
Marco
Tastes great but did NOT end up at all like the photo nor did they cook thoroughly. Credit where it’s due we had to substitute gluten free flour in.
Sam
I’m so sorry they didn’t turn out for you, Marco! The flour substitute may have caused some issues. Was it a cup for cup flour? Did you try baking the cookies a little longer to finish the baking?
Nicole
Your recipes never disappoint. Had a craving tonight for a good, soft ginger snap – these were perfect! I did leave the cayenne out, just bc my child is extremely intolerant to spicy. Haha. But they turned out delish.
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed them, Nicole! 🙂