(The PERFECT cookie for Santa!!)
This recipe for Chewy Gingersnap Cookies tops my list as my favourite holiday cookie! I have been baking them every holiday for years, and they never disappoint! Soft and chewy on the inside, crisp and lightly-sugared on the outside, and filled with hits of real ginger pieces! Want the recipe?! Read on, my friends!!
Christmas is in full-swing in our house! The tree is glistening with ornaments and garland (kid-style decorating at it’s best!). The oven is working overtime with the smells of stews, cakes, and cookies. Sinatra is always playing on the radio. The gifts are getting made and bought and hidden in little corners of the house away from prying eyes 🙂
I love it all. Every moment.
Especially the baking.
And when it comes time to put together the ultimate cookie for the ultimate man himself, you know it’s going to be these Chewy Gingersnap Cookies. They always seem to result in a very happy and generous Saint Nick!
Tips for making Chewy Gingersnap Cookies
*Be sure to sift dry ingredients. This is simple: just dump all your dry ingredients into a sieve over your bowl and gently shake them in! I don’t bother washing my sieve after use (it can rust easily). I just give it a tap over the sink and wipe it off with a dry cloth 🙂
*Dark or Cooking Molasses is perfect for this recipe. It has a the dark, rich flavour that gingersnaps need.
*You can find crystallized ginger in different sized pieces. I will link one that is nice here. If your pieces are large (like in the photo below), chop them into small pieces (a little smaller than your pinky fingernail…now that is an exact measurement lol!). I also like to shake the freshly-cut pieces in a bit of the sugar from the bottom of the package of ginger, or with a spoonful of granulated sugar. This helps them to avoid sticking together and helps distribute them through the batter.
*I always use a small ice cream scoop to create uniform and round cookies. They are so pretty when they are all the same size. Easy to bake evenly that way, too!
How long do Chewy Gingersnap Cookies last?
These cookies, stored in an airtight container, are good for about a week. Of course, in our house, they get eaten long before then 😉
I prefer to freeze the cookies in a Ziploc freezer bag, as they last for about 3 months this way. I can quickly pull out a few for a quick holiday treat for the kids, and make them well-in-advance for Santa!
Chewy Gingersnap Cookie Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup + 1/2 cup sugar, divided
1/4 cup dark / cooking molasses
1 large egg
1/2 heaping cup crystallized ginger, chopped small
How to make Chewy Gingersnap Cookies
1. Preheat oven to 375 f.
2. Sift dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix butter and 1 cup sugar until light and creamy. Stir in molasses and egg.
4. Add dry ingredients to wet mixture. Mix well. Stir in ginger chips.
5. Chill dough for 1 hour in the fridge.
6. Form dough into 1 inch balls (I use a small ice cream scoop).
7. Roll balls in 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Place on parchment-lined cookie sheet, 2″ apart.
8. Bake 8-10 minutes. Remove while still soft. Cool cookies on baking sheet a few minutes before removing to cooling rack to cool completely.
9. Enjoy! And don’t forget to save a few for Santa!!
Perfect, chewy inside, crisp outside, Gingersnap Cookies.
It really doesn’t get any better than this (unless, of course, you pair it with some of Grandma’s Hot Chocolate! )
Chewy Gingersnap Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar for rolling cookies in
- ¼ cup dark/cooking molasses
- 1 lg egg, room temperature
- ½ heaping cup crystallized ginger pieces, chopped small if necessary
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F
- Sift dry ingredients together in bowl. Set aside.
- In large bowl, mix butter and sugar until light and creamy. Stir in molasses and egg.
- Add dry ingredients to wet mixture. Mix well. Stir in ginger pieces
- Chill dough for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
- Form dough into 1" balls, using a spoon or small ice cream scoop.
- Roll balls in ½ cup granulated sugar. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 2" apart.
- Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes. Cookies should be golden brown on the bottom, but still slightly soft.
- Cool cookies for a few minutes on baking sheet before removing to cooling rack. Cookies will sink slightly to create a crinkled look as they cool.
- Enjoy!
Shop this post
- Sieve
- Small ice cream scoop
- Crystallized ginger pieces
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
- Ziploc Freezer Bags
You might also like
- Chocolate Cherry Shortbread Cookies
- Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Balls
- Grandma’s Best Hot Chocolate
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I’d love to know your favourite cookie recipes for Christmas!!
Let me know in the comments below!
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