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Stack of homemade ginger snap cookies with cracked, sugar-dusted surfaces on a white decorative plate.
Linda

Ginger Snap Cookies

Crisp, warmly spiced cookies with a satisfying snap and serious ginger heat that beat anything from a box.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 36 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 78
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry Ingredients
  • 2.25 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1.5 tbsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp ground cloves
  • 0.5 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
  • 12 tbsp unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar plus extra for rolling
  • 0.25 cup molasses unsulfured
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger finely grated

Equipment

  • Stand mixer or hand mixer
  • Baking Sheets
  • Parchment Paper
  • Medium cookie scoop or tablespoon

Method
 

Prep
  1. Heat oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Whisk flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a medium bowl until well combined.
  3. Beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl.
  4. Beat in molasses, then egg, then fresh ginger until smooth. The mixture will look slightly curdled - this is normal.
  5. Add dry ingredients and mix on low just until no flour streaks remain. Do not overmix.
  6. Scoop dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar to coat completely. Place 2 inches apart on prepared sheets.
  7. Bake until cookies are puffed, cracked on top, and just set around edges, 10 to 12 minutes. They will look slightly underdone in the center. Let cool on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Cookies crisp as they cool.

Notes

For extra snap, bake the full 12 minutes and cool completely before storing. The fresh ginger is worth it - it adds heat and complexity you cannot get from ground alone. Dough keeps refrigerated for 3 days; scoop and bake straight from cold, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time.