Soft Gingersnap Cookies Recipe (2024)

By Maria Lichty

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Soft Gingersnap Cookies-these cookies are a holiday favorite. Add them to your Christmas cookie baking list now!

I know we haven’t celebrated Thanksgiving yet, but I am already in Christmas mode. We don’t have our tree up yet, but I have started baking Christmas cookies. I just couldn’t wait any longer. Over the weekend, I made my favorite Soft Gingersnap Cookies. They are seriously the BEST holiday cookies. You can’t have the holidays without them. I make them every year and every year I fall in love all over again.

I love this recipe because the cookies are perfectly spiced and super soft. To get perfectly soft cookies, take them out at 8 minutes.They won’t look done, but just trust me, they are ready to come out of the oven. Let them sit on the hot baking sheet for a few minutes and then transfer them to a cooling rack. The cookies will set up as the cool and then you will have a batch of super soft gingersnap cookies.

Our house smelled amazing while the cookies were baking. The ginger, cinnamon, and molasses smell filled each room with holiday cheer.

Kick off your Christmas baking with theseclassic Soft Gingersnap Cookies. Your friends and family will love them! They arethe perfect Christmas cookie!

If you like this Gingersnap Cookie recipe, you might also like:

Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies
Brown Butter Salted Caramel Snickerdoodles
Gingersnap Cookies with White Chocolate Chunks

Photography by: Sarah Fennel // Broma Bakery

Vegetarian

The BEST gingersnap cookie recipe! We make these cookies every holiday season and they always get rave reviews!

4.63 from 37 votes

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Review

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 minutes mins

Servings 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup molasses
1 cup granulated sugar to roll the cookie dough in

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beatthe butter and brown sugar until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes.
Add in the egg and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined. Add in the molasses. Mix until the molasses is combined with the other ingredients.
With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture. Add in a little at a time until all of the flour is mixed in. Don't over mix.
Form the dough into tablespoon sized balls. Roll the dough in the granulated sugar. Place the cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.I pressed down on the cookies slightly with a spatula to help them flatten out. If you like puffy cookies, don't press them down.
Bake for 8 minutes and no longer, you want the cookies to stay soft.Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for two minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Note-the cookies will keep in an airtight container on the counter for up to 4 days. The cookies can be frozen for up to 1 month.

Have you tried this recipe?

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Home » Vegetarian

Maria

I'm Maria and my husband is Josh. We share a love of cooking, baking, and entertaining. We enjoy creating recipes that are simple, fresh, and family friendly. We love sitting around the table with good food, good conversation, and good friends and family! Our kitchen is always open!
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Vegetarian Fall Winter Christmas Desserts

Comments

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Good cookie, made on Sunday.
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1. Glad you liked them!
Do you think I could sub coconut oil for the butter like you do in your whole wheat chocolate chip cookies?
Reply
1. I haven’t tried this recipe with coconut oil. Let me know if you try it!
Hi! I realize this is a much older post so hopefully someone can give me a recommendation. I want to mix up the dough and form into balls and then freeze ahead of time and bake from frozen (I’ve had good success with this with most other cookie recipes). My question is, would you suggest rolling in sugar before freezing or when they are frozen before baking? I do not thaw the dough before baking–usually just go straight from freezer to oven. Thank you!
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1. I guess it depends on how much you want the sugar to stand out. If you freeze the cookie dough balls with the sugar on, the sugar might not stand out as much. If you wait and roll when the dough is frozen, the sugar will be fresh and look prettier. They will be delicious either way! 🙂 Enjoy!
I made these cookies with my two boys today….they were wonderful! I also gave some to my parents and they loved them. Another recipe that I’ll hang on to for many years! Thank you for all the wonderful recipes you share on your blog!
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Great great cookies! They were perfect after 8 minutes in the oven. I added extra cinnamon and ginger because I like a spicier cookie and they were great!
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I made these and added dried orange cranberries. Wow! They Were Great!
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I love gingersnap cookies. All the delicious flavors and the way they make your house smell, it’s what makes me think of the holidays. I like to put a little chopped up candied ginger in mine. I have been trying to make chewier molasses cookies, but mine keep coming out fluffy. Which is fine, but I prefer chewy. Any chance these will come out chewy?
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Just made these – they are delish! Not overly sweet, and it made 30 good sized cookies. We added a little candied ginger piece in the center, and it just makes them pop. I would’ve given them 5-star rating if it had included the candied ginger. Highly recommended!
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I just made these with my 7 year old and 4 year old! They were amazing! The only thing I did different was I rolled them in cinnamon sugar..
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1. Fun! Glad you liked the cookies!
Is there a way to make the cookie dough solid enough to roll out? I’d love to make reindeer-shaped ginger snaps for the holiday season!
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1. This dough is really soft, I haven’t tried rolling it out. Sorry!
I had tried gingerbread cookies before and never was a gig fan, but I made this for a friend and my goodness, they were so good they even got me hooked! Thanks for the great revmcipe Maria. It’s now a Christmas baking staple. 🙂
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Yum. I’m going to try to be a bad mom real soon. Hope you have a great weekend.
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awesome article thank you.
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I made this and it was an instant hit. Now I make it once every two weeks.thsnks for the recipe.
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I love these cookies, they are so yummy!!!
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Should I have left mine in longer. They’re not flat like yours.
Thanks
Reply
1. You need to flatten slightly with a spatula before putting in the oven and I actually flatten again when they come out. Came out perfect.
I followed the recipe exactly and am an experienced baker. I did not care for this recipes at all. There was something “off” about these. I will go back to my old recipe.
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Out of all the cookies I have ever made these Soft Gingersnap Cookies are my favorite!
They taste absolutely fabulous!!
Best cookie ever!
Only change was in my oven – I needed to bake 9 minutes not 8 (I think I have a puny oven:)
Thanks for this GREAT recipe
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Time is NOT correct for a convection oven. The emphasis on the the time was important to me. These are not done at 8 minutes. I do not know what kind of oven that you use, but these are raw at 8
At 8 . Minutes.
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Hi, made these today for a cookie swap tomorrow, recipe is super easy. And wow, probably the best gingersnap cookie I’ve had, love the soft texture! The dough was slightly soft but I put it in the refrigerator for 15/20 minutes before I rolled into balls. I pressed down on my cookies prior to baking and again as soon as they came out. I didn’t want mine puffy. And yes, the 8 minute baking time is spot on! This will be my go to recipe from now on for soft gingersnap cookies!
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These cookies are soft and have amazing flavor. I could make them all year round and they would be a hit
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I use ABV butter and this is the best cookie recipe Ever for hiding the pungent butter taste.
Bonus the Ginger helps with nausea .
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Just made these and they are perfection! So soft, slightly crisp and chewy around the edges. Nice and spicy. Great molasses cookies!
Reply
1. Glad you liked the cookies! Thanks for letting us know!
I am not a big fan of this recipe. Bottoms were over browned at 375. They are soft because they are under done. I will go back to my tried and true recipe.
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just finished making th batter for your gingersnap cookie. when i made them before, (mmmmmm)
i put then in the fridge for at least 12hrs. i do this w/all the cookies i make..i think it gives the
butter & all the other ingredients a chance to ‘marry’ the flavors, & i taste a remarkable difference.
these cookies are just sooo delicious, i brought my dogs groomer some last time & it’s the first
time i saw her smile, as she told me how much she liked them! i plan on bringing her at least a
dozen tomorrow.
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Maria
I have had fun with your cookies this week. On the night of our stay at home order I delivered uncooked brown butter snickerdoodles with a container of cinnamon sugar and baking instructions. Oh and of course milk. Last night I delivered warm Andes mint chocolate cookies on plaid plates – oh and milk
Reply
1. Love this! How sweet!
These cookies were AMAZING Maria! I made them thinking I’d be the only one eating them, but the kids LOVED them! Thank you!
Reply
1. Glad everyone enjoyed the cookies!
These are amazing! Kids just helped me make them today and we had to try just a few more before freezing a bunch for the next cookie craving. They’re not overwhelming like gingerbread cookies are for them as we cut back on the cloves and nutmeg and rolled them in cinnamon sugar – they’re so good!
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Try rolling these in turbinado sugar. They look and taste even more amazing.
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These were amazing. I did cook them 10 minutes. Still nice and soft but a little crunch on the edges. Perfect!! Also i used allspice in place of the nutmeg. Allspice has nutmeg plus other spices. I also used a bit more of each spice to really make the flavors pop. I made a double batch. They were gone fast. People loved them.
Reply
1. I am glad they were enjoyed by all!

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FAQs

Why do ginger snaps get soft? ›

Freezing or chilling the dough will result in a soft and chewy gingersnap cookies. With crinkly tops and spicy flavor this version also makes the most delicious holders for ice cream.

Get More Info Here ›

Why are my gingerbread cookies hard? ›

“There are some gingerbread recipes that are hard right after baking and need to sit for a few days to soften. Molasses and honey hardens gingerbread, but as the sugar absorbs moisture, it will get softer.”

Get More Info ›

What's the difference between gingersnaps and ginger cookies? ›

Ginger Snaps are simply a variation of the traditional Gingerbread cookie. They're known for their crisper quality; their “snap” if you will. Introduced in colonial times, the main differences between Gingerbread and Ginger Snaps are a longer bake time for an extra crisp and the use of molasses versus sugar.

Explore More ›

What is the trick to soften hard cookies? ›

Another way to soften cookies is by placing the cookies in an airtight container with a damp paper towel. The paper towel will release moisture and help to soften the cookies without making them too soft or mushy. Another way is to place the cookies in a plastic bag with a slice of apple or a damp tea towel.

Read On ›

How do you make cookies softer? ›

Baking cookies quickly in a hot oven – at 375 degrees F as opposed to a lower temperature – will make for soft results. They'll bake fast instead of sitting and drying out in the oven's hot air. Ever so slightly underbaking your cookies will give you softer results than cooking them the full amount the recipe says.

Find Out More ›

Why are my crinkle cookies not crinkling? ›

The signature crinkle effect happens when the cookies spread and crack as they bake. If your cookies aren't crinkling, it might be because the dough is too warm (try chilling it for longer before baking), or the oven temperature might be too low (ensure your oven is correctly preheated).

Get More Info ›

Are ginger snaps anti inflammatory? ›

Gingersnaps are a healthier alternative to other cookies, being that they are generally low in calories and have many benefits. The ginger that is in these cookies has anti-inflammatory properties, is known to help treat nausea and fight heart disease and other illnesses.

Why do my homemade cookies get hard so fast? ›

Over-baking is perhaps the most obvious - too long in the oven and your cookies will dry out, so make sure you time it right. Overworking your dough is another common problem, causing excess gluten strands to form, and making your cookie hard and tough.

Know More ›

Are speculoos and gingersnaps the same? ›

Speculoos (or sometimes spelled speculaas) is a Belgian cookie. Imagine a gingersnap on steroids. Bolder and much more aggressive than typical gingersnaps, Speculoos cookies are brimming with dark brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, white pepper, ginger, and cardamom.