Soft Gingersnap Cookies
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These gingersnap cookies are loaded with flavor. A crunchy sugar coating and firm edges lead to an irresistible soft and chewy center. Once you’ve tried these chewy cookies, try their counterpart, crispy gingersnaps!
Gingersnap Cookies — without the snap!
While the “snap” in its name implies that gingersnaps should be crunchy and “snappy,” I still can’t deny my love for soft and chewy cookies. Ginger snaps are one of my favorite cookies, holiday season or not, and you can often find me buying a bag of the super crisp ones from the grocery store when recipes that involve ginger and molasses and warm spices start making an appearance in my kitchen (the best time of year for desserts, duh).
This “chewy cookie” take on gingersnaps takes out the crunchy texture of the snap and creates a ginger cookie with slightly crispy edges and a soft and chewy center. You will get all the delicious ginger and molasses flavor without making a completely crunchy cookie (the edges have a little something something going on, and we’ll get there).
While these cookies may look like they might be crunchy gingersnaps (here’s my recipe for crispy gingersnap cookies), I guarantee you that they are not. The sugar coating on those crackly tops gives a little crunch with every bite, but it leads to a soft and chewy texture in the center. Be sure to follow all of my success tips below to preserve the integrity of these soft gingerbread cookies.
Chewy Gingersnap Cookies ingredients
These soft chewy gingersnaps are perfectly spiced with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and a hint of black pepper for a little kick. The molasses creates a depth of flavor and color and pairs well with the brown sugar and ginger.
• all-purpose flour
• baking soda
• salt
• ground cinnamon
• ground ginger
• ground nutmeg
• ground cloves
• black pepper
• granulated sugar
• light brown sugar
• unsalted butter
• egg
• molasses
• sugar for dipping
INGREDIENT NOTES
When choosing your molasses, go for an unsulphured molasses for the best flavor. Do not use blackstrap molasses (that type is far too bitter).
For the sugar that you dip your gingersnap cookie dough into, you can choose a coarse sugar like turbinado or just stick with regular granulated sugar (white sugar). This sugar layer adds a nice little bit of texture to contrast the soft cookie, so depending on how much additional texture you’re looking for, you can use different coarseness of sugar to get those desired results.
How to make Gingersnap Cookies
This is a no chill cookie dough that is really easy to work with.
STEP #1
Being by whisking together the flour, baking soda, and salt until combined, then set this mixture aside.
STEP #2
Next, cream the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and black pepper on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy. Stop the mixer, use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, and blend a few more times to ensure all of the spices are incorporated.
STEP #3
Add the egg and the molasses and continue to beat the mixture on medium speed until everything is incorporated.
STEP #4
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
STEP #5
Pour the sugar of your choice into a medium size bowl. Then, using a cookie scoop, drop balls of dough into the sugar and use your fingers to roll the dough all around to coat the cookie dough entirely in sugar and gently shape dough into approximately 1-inch balls, then place on the prepared baking sheet and bake until edges just look set.
Gingersnaps Recipe tips for success
This is a pretty straightforward cookie recipe, but here are a few tips that might help you along the way!
DOUGH TEXTURE: if your cookie dough is too sticky, you can cover the dough and chill it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
ROLLING IN SUGAR: rolling the raw cookie dough through sugar is optional but it gives a nice touch to the outside of the cookie, both with texture and with sparkle. See recipe notes for sugar suggestions.
BAKE TIME: do not over bake these cookies! They should still be slightly underdone when you pull them out of the oven, which is perfect. Allowing them to cool on the baking sheet will insure they are sturdy enough for you to move them.
Gingersnap Cookie Recipe variations
Be sure to check out this cookie as a cookie sandwich! My gingerbread sandwich cookies are made of 2 of these cookies squished together with marshmallow buttercream!
WHAT IF I WANT A CRISPY GINGERSNAP RECIPE?
Chewy ginger molasses cookies might not be for everyone. If you prefer a classic snappy cookie, I have a recipe for that, too. Give my crispy gingersnap cookies recipe (pictured below on the right) a try and let me know what you think!
How to store Soft Gingersnap Cookies
General storage instructions; how long do they last? Do they need to be refrigerated? Can you freeze baked cookies? How long do they last in the freezer? How to defrost.
These cookies will stay fresh and soft at room temperature for 5 days. They do not need to be refrigerated. Baked cookies freeze well, up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
HOW TO FREEZE COOKIE DOUGH
Drop rounded balls of dough onto a large plate or baking sheet, then chill in the refrigerator or freezer until firm. Transfer the dough balls to a large zip-top bag or covered container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake when completely thawed.
Gingersnap FAQs
While gingerbread and gingersnaps are similar, some folks use these words to categorize different types of ginger cookies. Gingersnaps are typically round like a traditional cookie while gingerbread are a type of cut-out cookie. This isn’t a hard and fast rule! If you’re looking for a gingerbread loaf, check out my cranberry gingerbread recipe.
MORE COOKIE RECIPES FOR YOUR HOLIDAY COOKIE EXCHANGE
Chewy Gingersnap Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour be sure to measure properly
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (171g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- ¼ cup molasses
- sugar1 for coating
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
- In a medium size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt until combined. Set aside.2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a large bowl with a handheld mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and black pepper on medium-high speed until mixture is light and fluffy. Stop the mixer, use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, and blend a few more times to ensure all of the spices are incorporated.½ cup (100g) granulated sugar, ½ cup (100g) firmly packed light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¾ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, ¾ cup (171g) unsalted butter
- Add the egg and the molasses and continue to beat the mixture on medium speed until everything is incorporated.1 large egg, ¼ cup molasses
- With the mixer still on medium speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Pour sugar of choice into a medium size bowl. Then, using a cookie scoop (I use this #50 cookie scoop for all of my standard size cookies), drop balls of dough into the sugar and use your fingers to roll the dough all around to coat the cookie dough entirely in sugar. Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake 8-10 minutes2 or until edges just look set. Do not overbake these cookies! They will look underdone when you remove them from the oven.sugar1 for coating
- Working quickly but carefully, use a large round cookie cutter or the rim of a glass or mug to reshape hot cookies. This will tuck in any edges that got thin and also encourage the "wrinkle" on the tops of the cookies. Allow to rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Store leftovers covered tightly at room temperature for up to 5 days. Cookies freeze well, up to 3 months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well, up to 3 months. Do not roll in sugar, allow to thaw in the refrigerator, then roll in sugar and bake as directed.
Notes
- Sugar for coating: I really like the contrast of coarse sugar with the soft cookie, but you can use granulated, granulated + spices, or any kind of sanding sugar of any size. I used pure cane/turbinado sugar.
- Bake time: there is a fine line between soft and chewy and “just starting to get crispy” here. The sweet spot for my oven was 9 minutes, and the ones baked for 10 minutes were a little more crisp on the edges.
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
These were a big hit on my cookie trays! Soft and flavorful but not too spicy.
Thank you, Debi! I’m so glad you enjoyed them 🙂
Just tried one fresh from the oven with a cup of coffee and wow – THE BEST COOKIE! Thanks Lynn!
Thank you, Julie!
You had me at Chewy! Excellent cookie and stores well!
Thanks so much, Janelle!
These soft gingersnaps were a hit with everyone! A great recipe that I’ll make again.
Thank you so much, Nadine!
My dough was extremely soft and I weighed the flour and my butter was just room temp not extremely soft, unfortunately they don’t look anything like the pictures, would chilling the dough help?
Hi, Tracy– I’ll need more than “don’t look anything like the pictures.” I’ll need more info to help troubleshoot.