The BEST Crispy Gingersnap Cookies
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The BEST Crispy Gingersnap Cookies are the perfect holiday treat! Snappy, low sugar and easily made gluten free. Our favorite cookie!
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These healthier gingersnaps are SO delicious and simple. A lighter version of a traditional recipe I grew up eating – these cookies are perfect for sharing with friends and family!
They’re seriously the most CRISPY, SNAPPY ginger snaps I’ve ever had. Loaded with ginger flavor and warm spices – you will adore them!
As much as I love spending time with my family during the holidays, I won’t lie… the desserts are one of my favorite things about it!
Between Pizzelle Cookies, Thumbprint Cookies, and Easy Cut Out Sugar Cookies.. our table is always filled with desserts (and Hot Chocolate)
There’s nothing better than sharing a meal with family, especially when you end it with delicious treats!
Gingersnaps have always been one of my favorite desserts and today I’m sharing the best gingersnap recipe with you!!
Ingredients for Gluten Free Gingersnaps
To make these gingersnap cookies, you’ll need:
- softened butter
- organic cane sugar
- brown sugar
- molasses
- egg
- baking soda
- ground ginger, fresh grated ginger
- cinnamon, ground cloves
- all purpose or gluten free flour
There are substitutions for most of these products listed below in our substitutions section!
Most of these are things you probably already have on hand! Once you have your ingredients, these cookies are fairly simple to make!
How to Make Gingersnap Cookies
Making gingersnap cookies is so easy! Here’s how to do it:
- Use mixer to whip together the butter and sugars. Mix in molasses and egg until combined. Add in baking soda and spices. Add the flour in.
- Place sugar in a shallow dish. Scoop dough into 1 tbsp balls. Roll in sugar until coated, then place on a lined baking sheet. Leave 2.5 inches between the cookies as these will spread considerably.
- Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until they look crackled on top. They should not look wet at all.
- Allow cookies to rest on the cookie sheet for 7 minutes. Move them to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
SUBSTITUTIONS FOR GINGERSNAPS
These cookies are pretty versatile. Here are a few ways you can customize them!
Butter: Unsalted butter will work in this recipe. Add 1/4 teaspoon to salt to the batter if you are using it.
Organic Cane Sugar: Regular granulated sugar will work substituted 1:1 for organic cane sugar in this recipe. White sugar helps to create snappy cookies. Do not substitute with coconut sugar.
Ginger: Fresh ginger really makes the difference in these cookies so we highly recommend it. If you don’t have fresh ginger you can substitute 2 teaspoons fresh ginger with 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger.
Molasses: You can’t substitute anything for the molasses! Along with the ground ginger, it’s what creates that delicious gingersnap flavor: totally rich and yummy! Do not use blackstrap molasses, it will be too bitter!
Can other types of flour be used? Gluten free 1:1 flour can be swapped in this recipe. Coconut flour + almond flour will not work in this recipe.
Freezing dough: This dough freezes well! I freeze the dough without the cinnamon/sugar coating. When ready to bake, allow them to thaw for 10 minutes on a baking sheet + then toss in the sugar coating once thawed/ready to bake.
Gingersnap Cookie FAQ
Cookies aren’t a health food, but I wouldn’t say gingersnap cookies are ‘good’ for you. These cookies have less sugar and fat than most cookies. They’re not ‘good’ but also not ‘bad’ for you. Everything in moderation!
Our favorite store bought ginger snaps come from Trader Joe’s & Tates!
You can freeze this cookie dough- simply scoop out the cookies and do not roll them in the sugar. Allow them to freeze on a parchment lined sheet then store the frozen dough balls in a zip top bag. When you’re ready to make them, just remove the number you want and allow them to thaw on the counter for 30 minutes. Roll in sugar and bake according to instructions.
how to store gingersnap cookies
Storing: It is best to store these cookies in an airtight container after they are cooked. They will last for about 1 week.
Freezing: Baked cookies will keep in the freezer for up to a month. After baking, allow cookies to cool completely. Place them in a freezer safe container or bag & store.
Other healthy holiday desserts recipes:
If you’re looking for more holiday friendly recipes checkout these Healthy Christmas Recipes
The BEST Crispy Gingersnap Cookies
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup softened salted butter 1.5 sticks
- 3/4 cup organic cane sugar or regular granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup molasses
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour or Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Flour
Sugar for Rolling
- 1/3 cup organic cane sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Use mixer or to whip together the butter, cane sugar and brown sugar. It should look fluffy and light yellow. This will take 2-3 minutes.
- Add the molasses and the egg and mix until combined.
- Add in the baking soda, ground ginger, fresh ginger, cinnamon and cloves. Add the flour in ½ cup at a time until just incorporated.
- Place ⅓ cup of sugar in a shallow dish. Scoop the cookie dough into 1 tablespoon balls using a cookie scoop or two spoons. The dough will be sticky, but there is no need to chill it.
- Roll in the sugar until coated, then place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Leave 2.5 inches between the cookies as these will spread considerably.
- Bake the cookies for 15 minutes or until they look crackled on top. They should not look wet at all. Take them out of the oven and allow to rest on the cookie sheet for 7 minutes. Move them to a cooling wrap and allow to cool completely.
They were delicious 😋 thanks again and yes the fresh ginger is a must. Can you make ahead and freeze this cookie dough?
Glad you liked them! notes on freezing are in the post – pasting here – Freezing dough: This dough freezes well! I freeze the dough without the cinnamon/sugar coating. When ready to bake, allow them to thaw for 10 minutes on a baking sheet + then toss in the sugar coating once thawed/ready to bake.
These are exactly what I’ve been looking for, thank you! Nice and crispy, perfect with tea or coffee. I don’t have fresh ginger so used a total of 1 1/2 tsp dry powdered ginger.
This recipe is so well written. The cookies are so delicious! If you use a cookie scoop, the recipe yields exactly the numbers of cookies that the recipe specified. I took it to the next level and used all organic ingredients, except for the baking soda😉
Yummy! These were very easy and scrumptious!
My cookies taste great but did not crackle.oven too hot??
Are they still thin and crispy? Could’ve had to do with the sugar or butter you used!
Lovely ginger flavor and so easy to assemble! Love that you don’t have to refrigerate the dough! Also great for tea time!
Way too much butter; fell completely flat. Gingersnaps are not a completely flat cookie, they should have a little thickness to them to develop the crinkle pattern:( I ended up adding 3 more Tablespoons of flour (used Gluten Free blend),1/4 tsp Allspice,1/2 tsp real Vanilla extract,1/2 cup diced organic Crystallized Ginger- then I lightly pressed approximately 1 Tablespoon dough evenly into mini muffin tins (ungreased); topping each portion with half of an organic crystallized ginger cube (just lay cube on top-don’t press down- you could even use a whole cube if you love ginger); bake for 12 minutes (depending on your oven); let cool absolutely completely (10-20 minutes); gently run a butter knife around each one and pop them out … everyone loved them:)
Hi Ava- Thanks for the comment. It sounds like you made your own gingersnap recipe with all those changes – glad you liked it though! I wouldn’t ever recommend baking cookies in a muffin tin but glad it worked for you! Throughout the post I mention multiple times that these are thin & crispy, so they are in fact supposed to be flat.
Amazing all of my family just live them!
Thanks
Loved these! I omitted the grated fresh ginger and added 4 oz of chopped candied ginger to the batter. Absolutely yummy!!
Love these!! Very tasty and easy to make!
Delicious and easy to make. I did add some dried citrus (lemon, orange, pineapple & candied ginger in small diced pieces) to the batter. I divided the batter into thirds and mixed a combination of my choice and they were a huge hit. I had my guests taking cookies home, a big compliment as I see it.
These cookies are delicious.Thanks for the recipe. I will make these again. Everyone in my house loves them.
Crispy and delicious! I increased the grated ginger and cinnamon to 2 teaspoons
The taste was phenomenal however they all were flat, they puffed up in the oven like a regular normal little cookie but then they just flopped and became very flat. hmmmm
gingersnaps are a flat cookie! As you can see in the photos, they’re meant to be flat
I just made these and they are delicious…. but they didn’t spread or crackle. Just realized I had the oven a bit hotter. I also didn’t weigh the ingredients, flour varies so much from brand to brand, and mine was a store brand I had on hand. I’m making them for a friend’s birthday, I hope they enjoy them… I’ve already eaten way to many. Any suggestion on why they didn’t spread?
Not sure why this would’ve happened! It couldve been because of the butter if it wasn’t softened.If any of the ingredients were incorrectly measured that could’ve also caused the problem!
This recipe looks amazing. I have wanted a good gingery cookie. Can’t wait to try it. Thanks so much for posting your recipe. ☺️
The recipe looks good but there is too much repetition saying the directions once is enough…….
Thanks for the feedback but not everyone knows how to bake so they need to see step by step photos/instructions in addition to the recipe. Not sure why it bothers you so much, just use the jump to recipe button
Love it! Also you explained how to make them very well so it’s very easily made! Thank you tons!
These are indeed the BEST ginger snaps I’ve ever made at home — I make them with GF flour. They are gobbled up by myself and other members of my family as well, who aren’t always excited about GF foods. This is one of those wonderful recipes where I don’t think you could tell a difference between GF and regular flour use. If you like a chewier cookie, don’t cook them as long and they come out fine too!
I’m so glad you likd them, Rosey! Thank you!
These cookies are absolutely delicious. The cookies look exactly like the ones you have pictured.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. Yum!
So glad you liked them, Cate! Thanks!
Great recipe. I love chewy cookies and my husband likes crispy cookies. These are great combo for us. A liking to both our taste buds. Easy to follow and simple ingredients. I’m no baker and after making them I deserved a pack on the back. 🤪
Thank you for sharing
So glad you liked them, Natasha!!
Crispy and yummy!
Hullo! This recipe looks good I want to make these but why can I not use coconut sugar? It is the only dry sugar I buy.
Thanks!
Because it doesn’t work in baking the same way that regular sugar does. Attempt at your own risk!
What adjustments do I need to make if I don’t have fresh ginger?😬
Fresh ginger really makes the difference in these cookies so we highly recommend it. If you don’t have fresh ginger you can substitute 2 teaspoons fresh ginger with 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger.
In seven minutes I can eat them !
Loved them! Easy to make. Not too sweet. Made my house smell amazing! Gonna be a holiday repeater for sure!
So happy you liked them, Deb! Thank you!
Just made them for gifting! Thanks for the lovely recipe~ I reduced the sugar further by eliminating the brown sugar in the recipe, turned out ok, the cookies spread well though no crackles formed, I also helped them along a bit by pressing with a spoon! It wasn’t gingery enough for me even already increasing the amount of fresh ginger, will add more in the future!
So glad you liked them. I’m sure they didn’t crackle because of the lack of sugar.
The ingredient list is a bit confusing. It shows 2/3 coconut sugar under the ingredients list but also shows 1/3 cup coconut sugar under the cinnamon/sugar toppings list. The instructions refer to “reserved sugar”. Does this mean you are to use 1/3 cup sugar in the dough mix and then the other 1/3 cup for the topping mix?
Hi Delzy – There is 2/3 cup sugar in the batter, and then completely separate 1/3 sugar + cinnamon in the topping. Hope that helps!