Crispy Gingersnaps

How to Make Thin & Crispy Gingersnaps

What are Gingersnaps?

A year-round favorite all over the world, Gingersnaps are particularly popular to welcome in the fall and winter holiday seasons! Gingersnaps are perfectly spiced with the most beautiful cracked, sugary tops. While these are mostly enjoyed during the colder months, I actually love them in the fall in Arizona, when the temps are slowly beginning to drop. They’re delicious with a glass of cold milk or even lemonade… and even better used in place of graham crackers for over-the-top s’mores!

Gingersnaps are just what they sound like: a cookie flavored with ginger – plus other spices that we’ll talk more about below. Gingersnaps are typically crunchy or have a brittle texture, thus the “snap”. The spiciness of the ginger and richness of the molasses pairs perfectly with coffee, tea, hot cocoa, or mulled wine.

What Makes Cookies Crispy and Crackled?

• 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.
• There’s also much more granulated sugar than brown sugar in this recipe. White sugar encourages more spread and has less moisture to make for a crisper cookie.
• Lastly, a longer baking time ensures a crunchy texture all the way through the center of these cookies.

Measure Your Flour Correctly to Ensure Gingersnaps are CRISPY!

• To avoid ending up with Gingersnaps that are thick and chewy instead of perfectly crispy, make sure to measure your flour accurately with a digital scale.
• It’s all too easy to accidentally add too much flour if you’re using cups.
• Check out my article on How to Measure Flour for step-by-step instructions.
• Just take a look at what a difference too much flour can make:

How to Make Flavorful Gingersnaps

• Make sure your spices, especially the ground ginger, are fresh and of high quality.
• The fresher the spice, the more flavorful it’ll be.
• While I haven’t tried it, you can also experiment with crystallized ginger, but expect your cookies to be a little more sugary.
• If you want more SPICE in your gingersnaps, add a tablespoon or two of freshly grated ginger.
• You can also add a pinch of cayenne pepper.
• In addition to the spices, the molasses used is also important.
• Make sure to use unsulphured molasses.
• Never use blackstrap molasses in baking, it’s extremely bitter.
• Brer Rabbit or Grandma’s in their ‘mild’ or ‘original’ flavors tend to work best.

How to Store Homemade Gingersnaps

Store the gingersnaps in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days. 

How to Freeze Gingersnap Cookies

• Scoop out the balls of cookie dough.
• Place on a baking sheet and freeze until solid.
• Remove to an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
• Bake from frozen, reducing the temperature to 325°F and adding a couple minutes onto the baking time.
• You can also store baked Crispy Gingersnap Cookies in the freezer, in an airtight container or freezer bag, for up to 1 month.