Are you searching for that perfect, nostalgic holiday cookie? The kind of soulful, “from-scratch” treat that tastes just like the ones grandma used to make—impossibly soft, perfectly chewy, and deeply spiced with the cozy, warm flavors of ginger, molasses, and cinnamon? This incredible, “Grandma’s” Classic Chewy Gingersnap Cookie is that perfect, timeless tradition. We’re talking a rich, buttery, and unbelievably tender cookie that bakes up with a beautiful, crackled, “lace-like” top that sparkles with sugar.
This isn’t just another cookie recipe; it’s a guide to mastering a legendary, multi-generational secret. Forget the hard, crunchy, store-bought gingersnaps. We’ll show you the simple but crucial “old-world” secrets to a flawless, foolproof, and unbelievably soft cookie that never fails. This is a satisfying, soulful, and deeply impressive treat that is perfect for holiday cookie platters, festive gift-giving, and filling your home with the ultimate Christmas aroma.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate “Chewy & Spicy” Holiday Cookie
What makes this “Grandma’s” Gingersnap so spectacularly delicious is its incredible, deep flavor and its wonderful, perfectly soft and chewy texture. This recipe is a masterpiece of classic, old-fashioned baking. The “magic” of this recipe is the classic, “creamed” butter and sugar method, which creates a wonderfully light and fluffy base. The dough is infused with a generous amount of dark molasses (for chewiness!) and a classic, aromatic blend of ginger and cinnamon. The final, “magic” touch is the “double-sifting” method for a light texture, and the final roll in cinnamon sugar, which creates that signature, beautiful, crackly, and sparkling crust.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 1 hour |
| Active Prep Time | 30 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 5 dozen (60 cookies) |
The Baker’s Pantry: The Essential Ingredients
This iconic dish uses a handful of high-quality, simple ingredients to create its signature rich and comforting flavor.
- The Cookie Dough (The “Chewy” Secret!):
- Dark Molasses: This is the number one, non-negotiable secret to the authentic, deep, rich, and slightly smoky-sweet flavor of a classic gingersnap. It is also the key ingredient that guarantees a wonderfully soft and chewy texture.
- Softened Butter: The classic, “creamed” foundation. It is absolutely essential to use softened, room temperature butter to create a cookie that is both rich, tender, and light.
- The Spices: A generous amount of ground ginger and ground cinnamon provides that classic, warm, and festive holiday spice.
- The “Sparkle” Topping:
- Cinnamon Sugar: A simple, old-fashioned roll in a bowl of cinnamon sugar before baking is the classic secret that gives the finished cookies a beautiful, sparkling, and slightly crunchy top that “crackles” as it bakes.
The Baker’s Masterclass: The Secrets to a Perfect Gingersnap
This recipe is all about a few simple but brilliant techniques that guarantee a flawless, impressive result.
- The “Double-Sift” is KEY!: This is a unique, old-fashioned step that is the secret to this cookie’s perfect texture. By sifting your flour and spices together twice, you are not only making the flour incredibly light and airy, but you are also guaranteeing that the spices and baking soda are perfectly and evenly distributed. This is the foolproof key to a uniform bake and a perfect flavor in every single bite.
- “Creaming” is Your Leavening: The number one, non-negotiable secret to a perfect, light, and tender cookie is the creaming method. You must beat your room temperature butter, sugar, and eggs together on a medium-high speed until the mixture is very light, pale, and fluffy. This is the crucial step that incorporates the air needed for a beautiful, soft texture.
- The “Chewy” Bake (Don’t Overbake!): The secret to a perfectly soft and chewy (not hard and crunchy) gingersnap is to not overbake it. This recipe’s “hot and fast” 10-minute bake is the key. You will pull the cookies from the oven when the tops are puffed, rounded, and just slightly cracked. They will look soft—that’s what you want! They will set up perfectly as they cool on the pan.
- Don’t Overmix!: The secret to a tender, not tough, cookie is to not overwork the dough. After you have created your butter-and-sugar base, you will sift in your flour mixture and mix on a low speed just until the dough comes together.
Step-by-Step to the Best “Grandma’s” Gingersnap Cookies
This elegant, festive dessert is a joy to prepare.
Part 1: The Art of the “Double-Sifted” Spice Blend
Step 1: First, preheat your oven to 350°F ($175^{\circ}C$). In a small bowl, prepare your 1/3 cup of cinnamon sugar for rolling; set it aside.
Step 2 (The Most Important Step!): In a large mixing bowl, sift together your 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon of ground ginger, 2 teaspoons of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Stir the mixture until it is blended, and then sift the entire mixture a second time into another bowl.
Part 2: The Creamy Molasses Batter
Step 1: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat your 3/4 cup of softened butter until it is creamy. Gradually beat in the 1 cup of white sugar.
Step 2: Add your 1 large egg and the 1/4 cup of dark molasses and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Step 3: Sift about one-third of your “double-sifted” flour mixture into the butter mixture and stir to thoroughly blend. Sift in the remaining flour mixture and mix until a soft dough forms.
Part 3: The “Roll-and-Bake” to Crackly Perfection
Step 1 (The Fun Part!): Pinch off small amounts of your dough and roll them with your hands into 1-inch-diameter balls.
Step 2: Place the balls in your bowl of cinnamon sugar and roll them to coat completely.
Step 3: Place the sugar-coated balls about 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet.
Step 4: Bake for about 10 minutes, switching the racks halfway through. You will know they are perfectly done when the tops are rounded and have just begun to crackle.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes (they will set up as they cool) before you transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
“Grandma’s” Chewy Gingersnap Cookies (A Holiday Classic!)
A classic, old-fashioned recipe for ‘Grandma’s Gingersnap Cookies.’ This recipe features a soft, spicy dough made with butter, dark molasses, ginger, and cinnamon. The dough is rolled into 1-inch balls, coated in cinnamon sugar, and baked for 10 minutes until the tops are rounded and slightly cracked, yielding a perfectly chewy and festive cookie.
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup cinnamon sugar (for rolling)
- 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup butter, softened
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup dark molasses
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the cinnamon sugar in a small, shallow bowl and set aside.
- In a large bowl, sift together the 2 cups of flour, ground ginger, baking soda, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and salt. Stir the mixture until blended, then sift it a second time into another bowl.
- In a separate large bowl, beat the softened butter with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually beat in the 1 cup of white sugar.
- Add the egg and molasses and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Sift one-third of the flour mixture into the butter mixture and stir to thoroughly blend.
- Sift in the remaining flour mixture and mix on low speed until a soft dough forms.
- Pinch off small amounts of dough and roll them with your hands into 1-inch-diameter balls.
- Place the dough balls in the bowl of cinnamon sugar and roll them to coat completely.
- Place the coated balls 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, switching the baking sheet racks halfway through. The cookies are done when the tops are rounded and slightly cracked.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- This is a classic recipe for chewy, spicy gingersnap cookies, perfect for the holidays.
- Sifting the dry ingredients twice is a key technique to ensure the spices are evenly distributed and the cookie has a light, uniform texture.
- Rolling the dough balls in cinnamon sugar before baking is essential for the traditional sparkly, crackled finish.
- This recipe yields a large batch, perfect for holiday cookie exchanges or gifting.
What to Serve With Your Gingersnap Cookies
These beautiful and nostalgic cookies are a fantastic and essential part of any holiday celebration.
- The Perfect Pairing: They are absolutely perfect served on a holiday cookie platter alongside other classics like shortbread, spritz, and “Grandma’s Snowball Cookies.”
- A Cozy Treat: They are the perfect, spicy, and chewy cookie to enjoy with a cup of hot coffee, a cup of tea, or a tall, cold glass of milk.
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Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
These are the ultimate make-ahead holiday cookie!
- Make-Ahead: You can prepare the unbaked dough up to 3 days in advance and store it, well-wrapped, in the refrigerator.
- Storage: Store the finished, baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature, with sheets of wax paper between the layers, for up to 2 weeks. Their flavor and texture will actually get even better (and chewier!) as they sit.
- Freezing: This dough freezes beautifully! You can freeze the unbaked dough balls (before rolling in sugar) or the fully baked cookies.
Frequently Asked questions (FAQs)
Q1: Why did my cookies spread out and go flat?
The most common culprits are butter that was too soft (or melted) or over-creaming your butter and sugar. Your butter should be at a cool room temperature—soft enough to leave an indent, but not shiny or greasy. If your kitchen is very warm, you can try chilling your rolled dough balls for about 15-20 minutes before you bake them.
Q2: My cookies are hard and crunchy, not chewy. What happened?
You overbaked them! The 10-minute bake time is the crucial secret. The cookies will look very soft and puffy when they come out of the oven, but they will “set” and become perfectly chewy as they cool.
Q3: Can I use light molasses instead of dark?
You can, but your cookies will have a much milder flavor and a lighter color. The dark molasses is the non-negotiable secret to that classic, robust, and slightly smoky gingersnap flavor.
Q4: Do I really have to sift the flour twice?
For the absolute best, most classic, and “Grandma-approved” texture, yes, it is highly recommended. This old-fashioned step is the foolproof key to a light, airy cookie where all the spices and baking soda are perfectly blended.
Q5: Can I add other spices?
Yes! This is a wonderful base. For an even more complex flavor, you can add about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves or allspice to your dry ingredients before you sift.