Soft and Chewy Gingersnap Cookies

Chewy, spiced gingersnap cookies with crisp edges and rich molasses flavor. Easy, addictive, and perfect for holiday or any time baking!

If I’m being honest, these gingersnap cookies should probably come with a warning label. Something like: “Highly addictive. Consume at your own risk.” And because of this, I don’t make them as often as I would like. I cannot be trusted around them.

These cookies hit every craving all at once: warm spices, deep molasses flavor, a tender chewy center, and that crisp sugared edge that crackles slightly when you bite into it. They’re cozy, comforting, and dangerously easy to eat by the handful.

This is the gingersnap recipe I keep coming back to. I’ll always crave them.

Let’s get to it before I talk myself into baking another batch!

These delicious cookies make a great snack to leave for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. But make sure you put Santa on a ration because these gingersnaps are so good you’re not gonna want to share but just a few!

Why You’ll Love These Gingersnap Cookies

• They’re the perfect texture: chewy in the middle, lightly crisp on the edges.
• The flavor explodes: ginger, molasses, cinnamon, and cloves are warm, spicy, and deep.
• That sparkle! Rolling them in sugar creates a sparkly coating on their crackled tops.
• They’re idiot-proof: a simple, no-fuss cookie that never disappoints. They always turn out!
• They freeze perfectly, meaning you can make several batches (so dangerous!).

Ingredients You’ll Need

Wet Ingredients: sugar, unsalted butter, egg, and molasses.

Dry Ingredients: All-purpose flour and baking soda.

Flavoring: ground ginger or freshly grated ginger root, Vietnamese cinnamon, cloves, salt.

Optional: Turbinado Sugar or finely chopped Crystallized Ginger for decorating and extra flavor.

How To Make Them

Here’s a summary of how I make them. You can find the full recipe in the recipe card at the end of this post.

1. Mix dry ingredients: Whisk flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.
2. Cream wet ingredients: Beat butter and sugar until fluffy, then mix in the egg and molasses.
3. Combine: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, then stir until a soft dough forms.
4. Shape: scoop out the dough and roll into 1-inch balls. Roll in turbinado sugar (or crystallized ginger).
5. Bake: 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes, until the tops crack and edges are set (see notes about cooking time).
6. Cool: Rest on the baking sheet a couple of minutes, then transfer to a rack.

Serve with a cold glass of milk and enjoy!

For extra confidence in the kitchen, King Arthur Baking has an informative roundup of the best cookie tips that apply to all kinds of cookies, including these gingersnaps

Tips for Perfect Gingersnaps

• Want BIG bakery-style cookies? Roll larger balls (2 tbsp each) and add a minute or two to the bake time. I did this the last time I baked, and it was so satisfying to have such large cookies!
• About the Butter: softened butter for a more cake-like, airier gingersnap, while melted butter results in a chewier, denser cookie with crispier edges. My favorite texture comes from softened butter.
• For more chew: Slightly underbake and pull them out when the centers are still soft.
• For crisper cookies: bake for an extra minute or two.
• For more spice: Add extra ginger or a pinch of nutmeg.
• Sticky dough? Chill for 20 minutes before rolling.

Variations I Love

• Molasses-heavy: Add an extra tablespoon for deeper flavor.
• Ginger explosion: Roll in chopped candied ginger instead of sugar.
• Holiday twist: Add orange zest to the dough.

How to Store Them (If There Are Any Left…)

• Airtight container at room temp: up to 1 week
• Freezer (baked or unbaked dough balls): up to 1 month
• My willpower around them: 0 minutes

So, are you going to share any with Santa or save them all for yourself?

I won’t tell if you’re naughty!