Thin and Chewy Gingersnap Cookies

Thin, chewy, sweet, and spicy. That’s how I’d describe these pretty little gingersnap cookies! They’re THE perfect addition to your holiday baking lineup.

Gingersnaps stacked upon a wire rack with a cup of coffee in the background.

The gingersnap is an essential cookie

When I finally tried gingersnaps (as an adult, when I could bake them myself), I discovered that I love them. In fact, I really love any and all ginger cookies! Now not a Christmas (or a Christmas in July) goes by in this house without these gingersnap cookies.

I feel like ginger cookies are the definition of Christmastime, am I right? Funny though, when I was a kid, I never ate these cookies; they just sounded or looked or smelled weird, and since I was completely unadventurous when it came to food, I never even bothered to try them. Such a shame, my friends, YEARS were wasted.

Process shots of making gingersnap cookies.

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Let’s go over how to make these cookies

  1. Start by creaming the butter and sugar together for several minutes until it’s light and fluffy.
  2. Beat in the egg, molasses, and vanilla and mix until they’re all combined.
Process shots of how to make gingersnap cookies.
  1. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and sea salt.
  2. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients and mix until just combined, but no flour is showing.
Process shots of how to make gingersnap cookies.
  1. Scoop cookies onto lined baking sheets and sprinkle the tops of the cookies with sugar.
  2. Bake one tray at a time, in the middle of the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
  3. Cool cookies on a wire rack and enjoy!

A note about cookie scoops

You can use any size cookie scoop you’d like for this recipe. My personal favorites are the 1.5 tablespoon scoop or the 2 tablespoon size. They make a decent size cookie without being too little or too much.

Cookies piled up on a wooden board with a cup of coffee nestled with them.

Things to remember when making these gingersnap cookies

  • The cookies will puff up slightly while baking, but they will flatten out and the tops will crack as they cool off.
  • There is no rolling required for this recipe, but if you’d like to get your hands dirty, you can also roll them into balls and then roll them in granulated sugar before placing them on the cookie sheet.
  • The cookies will be soft in the center; this recipe does not make crunchy cookies. If you end up with crunch cookies, they might be slightly over-baked.
  • These cookies are best if eaten within a day or two, but they will last up to one week in an airtight container or up to 3 months in the freezer.
A soft gingersnap cookie cut in half to show the inside of the cookie.

The cookie details

This is the best part – talking about the cookies. These aren’t your average crunchy, break-a-tooth hard gingersnap cookies, these gingersnaps have THE best, thin, chewy texture. They’re soft on the inside, but the tops of the cookies are a little crispy from the sprinkled sugar, so they have a subtle crunch too. They’re buttery, sweet, and spicy. Ginger cookie perfection.

A cookie with a bite out of it balancing on the rim of a coffee cup.

If you’re a ginger cookie fan, you’ll want to bake up a batch…or three of these gingersnap cookies this year and every year.

Other Christmas cookies you’ll love

Thin and Chewy Gingersnap Cookies

By: Kristine Underwood
A traditional thin and chewy gingersnap cookie that's perfect for the holiday season.
5 from 13 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Sweets & Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 40 cookies
Calories 88 kcal

ingredients
 
 

  • 3/4 cup butter, unsalted (room temperature)
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 TBS ginger, ground
  • 1 tsp cinnamon, ground
  • 1/2 tsp cloves, ground
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line four baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, cream butter and sugar together with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. About 2 mintues.
    3/4 cup butter, unsalted, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • Beat in egg, molasses, and vanilla extract and mix for another minute.
    1 egg, 1/4 cup molasses, 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and sea salt.
    1 tsp baking soda, 1 1/2 TBS ginger, ground, 1 tsp cinnamon, ground, 1/2 tsp cloves, ground, 1/2 tsp sea salt, 2 1/2 cup flour
  • Slowly add flour, half at a time to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined, but no flour remains.
  • Using a 1.5 TBS cookie scoop, scoop dough onto prepared baking sheets 2 inches apart and sprinkle the tops of the cookies with sugar.
  • Bake one tray at a time, in the middle of the oven for 10 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through.
  • Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a minute or two prior to transferring to a  wire rack to cool completely.
  • Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week or freeze for up to three months.

Notes

Make sure to read the cookie baking tips to get answers to common questions about baking cookies.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 cookieCalories: 88kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 1gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 87mgPotassium: 47mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 114IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 1mg
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Recipe Rating




22 Comments

  1. Ohhh, how I love gingersnaps! I was a baker in college and made them weekly! Just pinned your recipe and can’t wait to try them. Thanks for this!5 stars

    1. Thank you, Traci! I love that! I felt kinda bad that I only baked them during the holidays, so I’m brining them back! #notjustforChristmas ?

  2. I have a weak spot for ginger anything and chewy cookies, so this recipe is calling my name. The cookies look delicious!5 stars

  3. Cookies have to be soft and chewy in my opinion and these ginger ones sound perfect.5 stars

  4. Holy cow YUM!!!! Bookmarking these to make them later with my daughter – they look AMAZING!5 stars

  5. We just had a Christmas in July night at our house on Saturday, but ran out of time to watch Home Alone. I think I’m going to have to make these this week and watch what mess Kevin McAllister gets himself into. I’ve never made gingersnap cookies before, but I can already taste and smell these now! Delicious!5 stars

    1. I love everything about this Jamie! Such a fun idea, and I LOVE Home Alone! I watch that movie randomly throughout the year haha! Try the cookie and let me know what you think, they’re one of our favorites!

  6. Love how pretty these cookies are! I’m a big fan of chewy and soft cookies and these are some of our favorites!5 stars

  7. Gingersnap cookies are my absolute favorite and these are even crinkly on top. There is nothing like having a few of these a cup of coffee or tea. Yum!5 stars

    1. Oh man Vicky – I totally agree! I LOVE wrinkly cookies! LOL! #coffeeandcookies ☕️?

  8. These ginersnap cookies look absolute perfection! I can’t wait to give them a go 🙂5 stars

  9. Gingersnaps are one of my favorite cookies too! I love how easy these cookies are and that they stay a little soft on the inside. And I’m with you on the cookie scoop – don’t know what I would do without it!5 stars

    1. Thank you so much Linda! For real, cookie scoops are everything!

  10. I have never made these before, but I can tell you by looking at the photos this is a must make mouthwatering recipe!5 stars

    1. Claudia! You must try them! They’re a game-changer in the cookie world! Thank you!

  11. Gingersnaps – especially soft ones – are one of my favorite cookies ever! (Have you ever tried making a lemon sorbet sandwich with them? Heaven!)5 stars

    1. What is this lemon sorbet cookie sandwich you speak of Renee? It sounds incredible, I must try this ASAP! Thank you for the suggestion! #icantwait