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Gingersnaps

Oatmeal-Something Cookies, Gingersnaps, Nutty Biscotti, and Chocolate Chunk Cookies. Photo: Aya Brackett

BY Mark Bittman

PUBLISHED July 22, 2024

Not too sweet—in fact, bordering on savory—these gingersnaps are crisp-chewy, the kind that stick in your teeth.

 

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Gingersnaps

Prevent your screen from going dark

Makes 4 to 5 dozen 1x

Time about 40 minutes, plus time to chill

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • 3 1/4 cups flour
  • 1 heaping tablespoon ginger
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 sticks butter, softened
  • 1 cup molasses
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

  1. Whisk the flour, ginger, cinnamon, and salt together in a large bowl.
  2. Use an electric mixer to cream the butter, molasses, and sugars in a large bowl until smooth and fluffy. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, beating well between additions. Dissolve the baking soda in 2 tablespoons hot water and beat into the dough.
  3. Shape the dough into 2 logs about 1 to 2 inches in diameter, wrap in wax paper, and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Or wrap very well in plastic and freeze for up to a couple months; you can proceed to Step 4 with still-frozen dough.
  4. Heat the oven to 350°F. Slice the cookies as thin as you can and put on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until golden around the edges, about 10 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning. Use a spatula to carefully transfer the warm cookies to wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to several days.

– Recipe from How to Cook Everything: Completely Revised Twentieth Anniversary Edition

Recipe variations

Molasses Spice Cookies
Add 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves along with the ginger and cinnamon.

Gingerbread People
Shape the dough into a disk and chill as directed. Remove from the refrigerator to soften while the oven heats. When the dough is slightly softened, roll it out on a lightly floured work surface as thin as possible; use a gingerbread person cutter, or even hand cut, if you’re brave. Bake as directed, then cool. For softer cookies, remove the dough from the oven when the center is still puffy and soft, a couple minutes sooner. Decorate, if you like, with small candies and Vanilla Glaze. Store in a covered container (separated by layers of wax paper if they’re decorated) at room temperature for up to several days.

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