Easy Gingersnap Recipe Like Grandma Made

Here are the simple steps to make delicious gingersnaps just like you might remember from years past. Variations for chewy and crunchy gingersnap cookies are included, as well as two different ways to put on finishing touches. Learn how to coat with sugar or make a white chocolate frosted version. Gingersnaps are the favorite cookie of someone dear to me, so I have made numerous batches. Gingersnaps (or ginger snaps, as some dictionaries list them) never last long around my home, so I had to develop some efficient shortcuts to save time. They are great for a holiday cookie exchange, a favorite tradition. How do you make gingersnap cookies from scratch the easy way? Read on to find out the secrets to making fabulous old-fashioned gingersnap cookies!

Equipment Needed for Old-Fashioned Gingersnap Recipe

A stand mixer makes this old fashioned ginger snaps recipe come together very quickly. My stand mixer is a hand-me-down from my dear late mother-in-law. I use it often and think of her every time. I’m so grateful for the kitchen items that have been passed on to me by others. Each one brings back special memories. If you haven’t been the recipient of a hand-me-down mixer, I highly recommend the KitchenAid brand. Mine is vintage golden yellow, which I love. The new ones come in many other fun colors, like silver.

If you choose to decorate your cookies with white chocolate drizzle, you may want to use a small round decorating tip, as found in this set by Wilton. You can use it over and over, along with a reusable decorating bag and a coupler.

Easy Gingersnap Recipe Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup shortening (I use Butter Flavor Crisco)

1/4 cup molasses

1 egg

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 cup sugar or 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Easy Gingersnap Recipe Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, combine 1 and 1/4 cup of the flour, brown sugar, shortening, molasses, egg, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Beat on medium to high speed until combined. Beat in remaining flour until the cookie dough forms a dense ball on the beater. There should be very little dough on the sides of the bowl.

Shape old fashioned ginger snaps cookie dough into 1-inch balls. If you are choosing to coat in sugar, place 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl and roll the dough balls in the sugar. If you are choosing to put the white chocolate drizzle on, omit rolling the balls in sugar. Place the balls about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until set and there are cracks in the tops of the cookies.

Remove cookies from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Makes about 48 cookies.

Decorating the Gingersnaps with White Chocolate Drizzle

If you prefer not to take the time to roll the gingersnaps in sugar, you can also decorate them with white chocolate drizzle. Put 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and run the microwave for 45 seconds. Stir the white chocolate and return to the microwave for 30 more seconds. Keep repeating the process until the chips are melted. Scrape the melted chocolate into a decorating bag fitted with a number 3 round decorating tip. Drizzle the melted chocolate onto the cookie in a zigzag pattern. Place each decorated cookie on a wire rack while the chocolate hardens. *Important note: I have tried to use sandwich bags for white chocolate drizzle (see white chocolate raspberry scones) but the bags tore. They just weren’t sturdy enough to hold up to the melted white chocolate.

How to Make Chewy Gingersnaps

What are the best gingersnaps? Chewy or crunchy? In my family, we prefer the chewy gingersnaps. Here’s how to make soft ginger snap cookies. Make sure you use shortening, not real butter. Keep the baking time to around 8 minutes. When you take the cookie sheet out of the oven, remove the gingersnaps from the cookie sheet and place them onto the wire cooling rack as quickly as possible. Store the gingersnaps in an air-tight container to retain freshness.

How to Make Crispy, Crunchy Gingersnaps

Are the crunchy crispy kind more like old-fashioned ginger snap cookies than the chewy kind? The original gingersnaps were most likely the crispy kind, judging by the name. Here’s the crunchy ginger snap recipe for crispy cookies. First, substitute real butter for the shortening. (The entire reason why I started using Butter Flavor Crisco instead of butter with cookies is that my chocolate chip cookies were flattening too much and were too crispy.) For the crunchy ginger snap recipe, a longer baking time is needed. Bake the gingersnaps for at least 10 minutes. When you remove the cookie sheet from the oven, leave the gingersnaps on the sheet for about a minute before placing them onto the wire cooling rack. That should give you crunchy gingersnap cookies more like grandma’s old-fashioned ginger snap cookies.

It’s fun to dip a crispy gingersnap into a cup of coffee or tea. For another delicious beverage option, you could serve the gingersnaps with hot mulled cider (wassail). There are many options!

Gingersnaps Fun Facts and Frequently Asked Questions

Why are they called gingersnaps?

How did gingersnaps get their name? Most gingersnaps contain ginger and are sweetened by molasses, so that is where the “ginger” part of the name comes from. The “snap” part of the name is a result of the crunchiness of some gingersnap cookies. In England, they are called ginger biscuits.

Are gingerbread and ginger snaps the same?

Gingerbread has many of the same ingredients, but gingerbread can be made in a loaf pan like banana bread. Some gingerbread recipes call for sweetening with white sugar as well as brown sugar and molasses.

How many gingersnaps make a cup of crumbs?

The number of gingersnaps needed to make a cup of crumbs can vary based on the size and thickness of the cookies. As a general guideline, it typically takes about 8 to 10 gingersnaps to make 1 cup of crumbs. However, this can vary, so it’s a good idea to measure as you go and adjust based on the specific gingersnaps you are using.

Are You Going to Try This Easy Gingersnap Recipe?

I’m going to make another batch of gingersnaps soon. If you decide to try it, I’d love to know what you like to serve them with. They make a great accompaniment to gelato. Looking for other sweet treat ideas? Check out Easy Blueberry Rhubarb Crisp, Cinnamon Shortbread Cookies, or the popular Death by Chocolate Trifle. Your sweet tooth will thank you!

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