Gingersnap Cookies

by Lynne on June 3, 2010

Post image for Gingersnap Cookies

Gingersnap Cookies

The last time I made cookies was February 12, when I made Chocolate Chips. I just don’t keep sweet stuff around. I am totally a salt freak. If you put anything sugary next to a  big bowl of buttered popcorn, I would be running off with the salty, buttery popcorn every time. And if I never ate chocolate again, that would be fine with me, too.

But over Memorial Day weekend, I all of a sudden had this craving for cookies. Little sweet crunchy ones that could be dunked in creamy sugary coffee. It had to be Gingersnaps. I also think I was stalling. I was putting off making and photographing the Potato Salad with Buttermilk Dressing that had been making me so crazy. You can read the previous post for that story.

This Gingersnap recipe was handed down from my mother, who used to make them in the 1950s. They are a little bit of nostalgia from my childhood, so I guess I have been making them for about 50 years. They fill the house with the smell of cinnamon, ginger and allspice. So delicious and enticing.

If you like them soft in the middle, bake them a minute less. If you like them more crunchy, bake them the full 12 minutes. They freeze well in a big ziplock bag, so you can eat one per day for a month. I said the recipe makes about 48 cookies, so what you freeze will be less the dozen or so Gingersnaps you eat while they are still warm. They’re that good.

Gingersnaps

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Gingersnap Cookies

350 degrees   12 minutes   4 dozen

1 cup sugar
¾ cup salted butter (1 ½ sticks), room temperature
1 large egg
¼ cup molasses
2 cups flour
1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon allspice

sugar for rolling

1. Cream the sugar and butter in a large bowl with a fork. Mix in the egg and molasses.

2. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, allspice and ginger. Mix into the egg/molasses mixture in 4 parts.

3. Roll dough into walnut-sized balls or use a 1 ¼ -inch ice cream scoop. Roll in sugar to coat thoroughly. Place 15 on a cookie sheet.

4. Bake 11-12 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from cookie sheet immediately and cool flat on paper. (I use newspaper).

{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }

Lentil Breakdown June 3, 2010 at 5:10 pm

The food porn sites will be hacking into your blog to get their paws on these glorious shots. I make ginger cookies too, but I use cloves and some crystallized ginger, but the recipe sounds similar.

cathy x. June 5, 2010 at 5:55 am

i’m saving this one to my favourites to try later.. the sooner than later kind of later! i can’t wait to try these all soft and chewy, although i might try to make them with melted butter so they stay chewy without needing to undercook. well.. we’ll see what happens! :P* do you just buy molasses from your local grocery store? i have a feeling i might have to put some hard yards in to track the stuff down over here in australia..

Mary @ Bites and Bliss June 5, 2010 at 8:14 am

Oh I love gingersnap cookies! They’re always part of holiday baking gifts. It’s never a bad time for holiday flavors. Thanks for the recipe! 🙂

Cristina @ TeenieCakes June 6, 2010 at 1:18 am

Beautiful presentation of these Gingersnap cookies. That photo with the milk is absolutely edible.

Lynne – it was nice to meet you at Camp a couple of weeks ago. Hope all has been well.

Grapefruit June 6, 2010 at 7:54 am

Gorgeous photos! I was looking for a simple gingersnap recipe, I think this might just be it. Will try these soon – maybe tonight!
Thanks for sharing.

redmenace June 6, 2010 at 10:26 am

Wow! Gorgeous cookies. I’ve never been very successful at the gingersnap, but I could sure use a good ginger cookie right now! Thanks!

Cherine June 6, 2010 at 10:38 am

Wonderful cookies. A fabulous treat!

sippitysup.com June 6, 2010 at 4:59 pm

These are some glorious GingerSnaps and I of course remember our fun-filled and informative lunch together at CampB. GREG

Monet June 6, 2010 at 5:06 pm

Lynn,
So happy to have found your site! I love gingersnaps with a cup of tea in the evening. My cookie jar is empty and these might have to be the next ones I bake!

Vivienne June 7, 2010 at 5:49 am

Wow – those cookies look friggin’ perfectttt in the first photo! Delish!

Grace-Marie June 9, 2010 at 9:37 am

You bet I’ll be making these soon! Great pics!

joanne December 19, 2010 at 1:37 pm

wow! great gingersnap photo. I’ve spent the day turning out cookies for Christmas and can’t seem to find the one I made last year that was wonderful. The ones I made today came out cakey. I measured. Not sure what happened.Well anyway yours look fabulous and their next. After my feet stop throbbing from standing all day in the kitchen. I love your website.

joanne December 21, 2010 at 5:36 pm

I just baked a batch of these cookies and they are wonderful. This is a recipe that will go in my file. I hope they last until Christmas. They smell terrific in the oven. And they are as beautiful as the photograph. Thanks Lynne. This recipe from your mom is a winner.

Lynne December 21, 2010 at 6:22 pm

Hi Joanne ~ I’m really glad you liked these cookies. Thanks for letting me know you made them. Now that you reminded me how good they smell, I’m going to have to make some myself. lol. Lynne xo

Ramya January 20, 2012 at 12:29 pm

Hi,
Ive never had a success in baking molasses cookies but not this time with your recipe. I now have perfectly baked thin, crisp, chewy gingersnaps to pair with my coffee. Thanks a lot.

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