These Ginger Snap Cookies are soft and chewy with a crisp edge. An easy Christmas cookie recipe that are perfect for any holiday cookie spread, but great any time of year!
Ginger Snap Recipe
Serve these Ginger Snap Cookies on a holiday table with Christmas Oreo Bon Bons, Slow Cooker Candied Almonds, and Chocolate Crinkle Cookies.
If you want to keep with the ginger theme, you could also pair it with an easy gingerbread cake with cream cheese frosting!
Do you go to holiday cookie exchanges? I always make cookies, but I’ve never been to an actual exchange. I feel like this ginger snaps recipe would make the perfect batch of cookies to swap.
I polled my friends asking their favorite holiday cookie to help me narrow down what I wanted to bake this weekend. I got a couple requests for cookies I’ve already shared but one friend suggested ginger snaps and this recipe came about.
I consulted a very old cookbook passed down from my grandma for a recipe and am thrilled with the results.
A soft and chewy, spicy, holiday cookie that smells amazing when it’s baking in your kitchen.
Fire up a holiday simmer pot and let the season begin!
Ginger Snaps Ingredients
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe, why you need them, and possible substitutions. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card with measurements.
Jump- Sugar – Granulated white sugar.
- Butter – Unsalted, at room temperature.
- Molasses – Baking molasses – usually light or “original”.
- Egg – One large egg.
- Flour – All-purpose white flour.
- Baking Soda – To add rise.
- Cinnamon – Use a good quality ceylon cinnamon.
- Ginger – Ground ginger.
- Cloves – Ground cloves.
- Nutmeg – Ground nutmeg.
- Salt – For balance.
How to make Ginger Snap Cookies
This section shows you how to make this recipe, with process photos showing the steps to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
JumpMaking ginger snap cookies is surprisingly easy, but you do need to allow time for the dough to chill and come together.
- STEP ONE: To a large bowl, add the sugar, butter, molasses, and egg and beat with a hand mixer until on medium until light and fluffy.
- STEP TWO: Add in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Stir it together with a spatula until fully combined.
Cover the bowl of dough with plastic wrap and let chill for at least an hour. - STEP THREE: Pour 1/2 cup of sugar into a shallow bowl. As you scoop the dough into approximately 1″ balls with a cookie scoop, roll the balls in your hands, then in the sugar, and place 12 per sheet on the prepared cookie sheets.
- STEP FOUR: Bake at 350 degrees for 9-10 minutes or until just set. They will puff up then flatten as they bake. Remove from the oven and let cool on the cookie sheets for a minute before removing.
Are ginger snaps supposed to be spicy?
Ginger snaps are not hot spicy, but they do have a nice warmth to them thanks to the ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.
Why are they called ginger snaps?
The name ginger snaps comes from the fact that these cookies are typically very crispy and make a “snap” sound when broken and are filled with ginger.
My version have a crisp edge with a chewy center (don’t over bake them!) and are full of holiday spices. Ginger snaps are a derivation of gingerbread.
What is molasses & why is molasses used in baking?
Molasses is a thick, dark syrup that is made during the sugar making process. Sugar cane or sugar beets are crushed and then the juice is extracted. The juice is then boiled down to form sugar crystals, which are then removed from the liquid. That is the molasses.
Molasses is used in baking to add great brown sugar flavor to cakes and cookies without making them too sweet.
Soft & chewy molasses cookies are similar to these ginger snaps and equally delicious.
Helpful Tools
- Mixing Bowls – I love the grippy bottoms of these bowls so they stay still while you’re mixing.
- Hand Mixer – As much as I love my stand mixer, I use my hand mixer much more often.
- Spatulas – I love these one piece silicone spatulas because they’re easy to clean.
- Silicone Baking Mats – Using either baking mats or parchment paper will help your cookies to bake evenly and make clean up easier.
- Cookie Scoop – I can’t remember the last time I made cookies without using a scoop. It makes life easier & your cookies will be even.
Need more Christmas cookies recipes? Try these:
Dark Chocolate Stars
Crisp Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Cream Cheese Sprinkle Cookies
Christmasdoodles (Snickerdoodles)
Sprinkled Chocolate Fudge Cookie Bites
Click here for my entire collection of cookies.
Did You Make This?
If you made this recipe, I’d love to know how it went in the comments section below.
You can also tag me on Instagram – @melissa_ppplates or share a pic in the Persnickety Plates Community Facebook group. I love seeing what you’ve tried!
Soft and Chewy Ginger Snaps
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup (198 g) granulated white sugar
- ¾ cup (168 g) unsalted butter at room temp
- ¼ cup (85 g) molasses
- 1 large egg
- 2 ½ cups (300 g) all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons (12 g) baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon (2 g) kosher salt
- granulated white sugar for rolling
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the sugar, butter, molasses, and egg and beat on medium until light and fluffy.1 cup granulated white sugar, 3/4 cup unsalted butter, 1/4 cup molasses, 1 large egg
- Add in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt, Stir well with a spatula until fully combined.2 ½ cups all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.granulated white sugar
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Pour approximately 1/2 cup of sugar into a small bowl (for rolling).
- Use a medium cookie scoop (#60; 2 tsp) to shape the dough into approx. 1" balls. Roll in sugar and place 12 per baking sheet onto your prepared sheets.
- Bake for 9-10 minutes or until just set (they will puff up then flatten while baking).
- Remove from oven and let stand on the cookie sheet for 1 minute before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- I generally use a #40 cookie scoop (approx. 1.5 Tbsp) to make 1″ dough balls.
- 12/21/25 – After feedback, I increased the flour to 2 1/2 cups flour (300g). The recipe originally called for 2 1/4 cup (270g). I personally like a flatter cookie but 300g will lead to a thicker cookie.
- Store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to a week.
- To freeze before baking – scoop dough balls, roll in sugar, and then freeze flash freeze on a baking sheet. Once frozen solid, move to a freezer bag or container for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen adding a minute to the bake time.
- To freeze after baking – lay cookies in a freezer bag with parchment between layers for up to a two months. When you’re ready to eat them, just put however many on the counter at room temp a few hours before you need them.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag me on Instagram @melissa_pplates so I can see!What’s your favorite holiday cookie recipe? Are you trying any new ones this year?
This post was originally sponsored by McCormick®. All opinions are my own, as always.
Soft ginger “snaps” are my very favorite. Maybe my favorite holiday cookie ever and these look like perfection!
Yeah, they aren’t very “snappy” but that’s how I like them 😉 thanks!
Oh wow this sounds like the most perfect ginger-snaps– if only I would pop a crisp through the screen and take a piece now!
Crispy on the outside and soft and chewy in the center with crinkly tops! Perfect! I’m anxious to try them! Thanks for sharing, Melissa!
Thanks, Deb. I hope you like them!
I have tried several ginger snap cookies recipes over the years, but this one is by far the best I’ve tried! Follow the recipe exactly and you will not be disappointed. I baked mine until they started to crack (9 1/2 mins) then took them out. Perfection!
Thanks, Katie! Merry Christmas 🙂
Came out exactly as the recipe said. Very good!
Yay! <3
Got these in the fridge overnight before baking tomorrow. I tried something new on the healthier side – i substituted applesauce for half the butter and halfed the flour with almond flour. Both are 1:1 substitutes. Left everything else the same. Oh i used two drops of clove essential oil in place of ground only because I didnt have any 😉.
Sounds like good swaps! I haven’t worked with almond flour, but I do the applesauce swap from time to time. Report back & let me know how you like them 🙂
This is a very soft chewy delicious cookie. I added walnuts and they were delicious
Thanks, Teresa. I’m glad you liked them!
Definitely, hands down one of the best cookie recipes I’ve ever tried! Very easy steps and the end results are to die for. I’ve literally tried these like three times already and everyone can’t get enough of these! This recipe is definitely a MUST try!
I’m so happy you love them! Thanks for reporting back 🙂
The best chewy ginger snap recipe I’ve ever had! Made the second batch today! Wouldn’t change a thing the whole family loves them!!
I love hearing that! Thanks for reporting back 🙂
Omg! These babies were so delicious! Everyone loved them and they disappeared so quickly! The best way to enjoy this recipe is to follow it as written, it’s perfect! Thanks for sharing 😊
Oh, Tasha. You just made a rough day better. Thank you!
Great flavour. Easy to make. Mine turned out pretty soft, but great!
Thanks, Melanie!
So delicious! Added a bit more spice. They’re so soft with a crispy outside! Thank you 🙂
I’m so happy to hear that!
These cookies are so incredibly good that I’ve baked them twice in 2 days. By far the best gingersnaps I’ve ever had. My husband and kids couldn’t stop eating them. Thank you for this recipe that I’ll be making for the rest of my life!
You made my day. Thanks, Susie!
Will these do ok in the freezer if I make them in advance?
You want to freeze them after baking or before? I prefer to prep them, roll them, then freeze them covered on a cookie sheet. Once they’re frozen through, I move them to a freezer bag & they’ll be good for a couple months. You can bake from frozen. Or, you can bake them, layer them with parchment paper in freezer bags, and freeze them. Take them out about an hour before you’re ready to eat them and let them thaw at room temperature. I prefer the first way, but either will work 🙂
I got this recipe from someone who brought these cookies to work last week. They are absolutely my favorite cookie I’ve ever had!! I’m making some to share for the holidays today! Thank you!!!
That makes me so happy – thank you for reporting back!
These were very easy to make and lived up to their “soft and chewy” name. I will be making them again!
Thanks, Emily!
These are hands down the best ginger snap cookies! Melt in your mouth! I found this recipe a few years ago and make them every single Christmas season..make them today and you won’t regret it!
Thanks, Bobbie!
Hey! Really excited to try this recipe! Can I use pumpkin pie spice instead of the spices listed?
Hi 🙂 I haven’t tried but pumpkin pie spice is generally a blend of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and sometimes allspice, so it should work.
They are just like the ginger snaps my Mom used to make after I added one cup raisins and dipped the top in some sugar. I had not been able to find her recipe, so Thank you!!!
I’m so happy to hear that!
I have had this same recipe for years with the exception of brown sugar for regular sugar. Always a hit.