The Best Ginger Snaps. Thin crispy spiced cookies with plenty of warm ginger flavour. Just a Ziploc bag is all you need to decorate them for the Holidays too.
![The Best Ginger Snaps Cookie Recipe, decorated for Christmas! (1) The Best Ginger Snaps Cookie Recipe, decorated for Christmas! (1)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
Cookies with royal icing decoration.
Today’s ginger snaps recipe comes to you courtesy of the ladies of the household. Spouse loves anything ginger and this is her recipe for crispy ginger snaps, one of the most perfect coffee or tea cookies.
![The Best Ginger Snaps Cookie Recipe, decorated for Christmas! (2) The Best Ginger Snaps Cookie Recipe, decorated for Christmas! (2)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
Ginger is such a warm, comforting spice.
Number 1 kid dressed them up for Christmas with some simple snowflake designs. The designs were piped on using royal icing in a simple Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off.
![The Best Ginger Snaps Cookie Recipe, decorated for Christmas! (3) The Best Ginger Snaps Cookie Recipe, decorated for Christmas! (3)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
Ginger snaps
So, no special decorating equipment is required. It’s another great recipe for the Christmas freezer or at any time of year.
Looking for more Christmas baking ideas. We have a whole collection of our Fan Favourite Christmas Baking Recipes.
![The Best Ginger Snaps Cookie Recipe, decorated for Christmas! (4) The Best Ginger Snaps Cookie Recipe, decorated for Christmas! (4)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
Best Christmas Baking Recipes
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Originally published December 2015. Updated November 2019 to provide nutritional information and a new printable recipe page.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 13 minutes
Total Time: 28 minutes
The Best Ginger Snaps - thin crispy spiced cookies with plenty of warm ginger flavor. Just a Ziploc bag is all you need to decorate them for the Holidays too.
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 tbsp ginger
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup molasses
FOR THE ROYAL ICING
- 1 large egg white
- About 1 1/4 cups icing sugar, powdered sugar icing sugar (powdered sugar)
- pinch cream of tartar
Instructions
- Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon and salt and set aside.
- Cream together the shortening, butter, sugars and molasses until light and fluffy.
- Fold in the dry ingredient mixture until a soft dough forms.
- Refrigerate for a couple of hours until the dough is well chilled.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Roll out to about 1/8 of an inch or a little thicker.
- Use cookie cutters to cut out the cookies and transfer to a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes depending upon the size of your cookies. The cookies pictured were made using a 3 inch cookie cutter and took about 17 minutes. You don't want to under bake them or they will not be crispy.
- Store in airtight containers. Freezes well.
TO MAKE THE ROYAL ICING
- Beat together the egg white, cream of tartar and about 1 cup of the icing sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the remaining icing sugar a tablespoon at a time until the icing reaches a spreadable consistency.
- Use a piping bag or a Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off to draw on snowflake patterns.
Notes
Nutritional information calculated for undecorated cookies.
Recommended Products
Rock Recipes a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Our product recommendations are almost exclusively for those we currently use or have used in the past.
Nutrition Information
Yield
24Serving Size
24 3 inch cookies
Amount Per ServingCalories 137Saturated Fat 2gCholesterol 5mgSodium 160mgCarbohydrates 19gFiber 1gSugar 11gProtein 1g
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FAQs
Tips for Making Soft Gingersnap Cookies
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!).
Why are my ginger cookies so 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.”
Why are my ginger snap cookies flat? ›
Too little flour and too much sugar are often the source of flat cookies, so measure carefully and accurately by using dry measuring spoons and cups for dry ingredients (so that you can spoon the ingredients into them and sweep away the excess) and use cups with pouring spouts for liquids.
Are ginger snaps healthier than other cookies? ›
The smaller, crispy gingersnaps are a plain, round cookie and a healthier choice when compared to other cookies because they are usually lower in calories. Ginger not only adds delicious flavor to food, but it's also full of nutrients. There are lots of different vitamins and minerals in ginger.
Why didn't my ginger snaps crack? ›
Molasses cookie dough won't have those signature cracks on top if the dough is too wet. The cracks happen when the surface of the dough dries up. Rolling in sugar really helps this because the sugar binds the moisture and dries out the dough.
Why didn't my ginger snaps crinkle? ›
The oven isn't hot enough. (it needs to set the top before the middle's fully risen) Not enough leavening (it needs to be strong enough to crack the top once it's set) Using a single-acting baking powder (double acting gives extra rise when it gets heated)
How do you know when ginger cookies are done? ›
So how do you know that they're done? Here's how to tell if gingerbread cookies are done: They'll be firmly set. They'll be a lovely medium-brown color.
What is the trick to soften hard cookies? ›
The easiest way to soften cookies with bread is to place the cookies in an airtight container with a slice of bread and leave them for a few hours. The bread will release moisture and help to rehydrate the cookies, making them soft and chewy once again.
What makes cookies chewy and not hard? ›
The science is simple: According to the flour authorities over at Bob's Red Mill, cornstarch can help “soften the rigid proteins of the flour, resulting in a light and chewy dessert.” “The cornstarch complements the flour in absorbing the liquids, but won't develop gluten structure like the flour will,” stresses ...
What is the secret ingredient to keep cookies soft? ›
Light corn syrup is another ingredient that you can add to cookie dough that will help it stay softer longer. The corn syrup you buy at the grocery store is not the high-fructose corn syrup that soft drinks are made with; it's a sugar that is liquid at room temperature and helps other sugars say liquid at high heat.
A heavy amount of baking soda interacts with the molasses in this recipe to encourage spread. This allows cracks in the dough to develop where moisture escapes, creating that beautiful crackled appearance and crunchy texture. Ensure your baking soda is fresh and active – learn more about that here.
Why are my ginger cookies bitter? ›
However, with that amount of baking powder, your cookies (or any baked goods in which you substitute baking powder for baking soda) may end up with a pronounced bitter taste.
Can you eat too many ginger snaps? ›
How much ginger should you take daily? Ginger is safe to eat daily, but experts recommend limiting yourself to 3 to 4 grams a day — stick to 1 gram daily if you're pregnant. Taking more than 6 grams of ginger a day has been proven to cause gastrointestinal issues such as reflux, heartburn and diarrhea.
Do ginger snaps help your stomach? ›
Ginger. Capsules of powdered ginger have been found to reduce nausea and vomiting. You could also try a cup of ginger tea, a glass of ginger ale (some people swear it works better if it's flat), a few gingersnap cookies, or a piece of ginger candy.
What is another name for ginger snap cookies? ›
A gingersnap, ginger snap, ginger nut, or ginger biscuit is a biscuit flavored with ginger. Ginger snaps are flavored with powdered ginger and a variety of other spices, most commonly cinnamon, molasses and clove.
Why did my ginger get soft? ›
Texture: Fresh ginger is firm, so if it's soft or mushy to the touch, it's a tell-tale sign that the ginger has gone bad.
Can you eat mushy ginger? ›
Wrinkled skin on ginger is not necessarily an indicator of spoilage. However, if the ginger also has a mushy texture, an off smell, a brown color, or visible mold, it is likely bad and should be discarded. It's always best to trust your senses and look for the signs of bad ginger before using it in your recipes.
Is ginger supposed to be mushy? ›
Fresh ginger has a light yellowish-brown color and doesn't look or feel super dry or tough, nor wet or mushy. Ginger can occasionally sprout mold and get soft if it's been left in moist conditions for too long, but it usually tends to become extremely dry, hard, and dull when it's gone bad.