I’ve been obsessed with old school gingersnap cookies ever since I was a little girl sneaking handfuls from that big brown bag of Murray ginger snaps my mama kept hidden in the pantry.
Those cookies were crisp, spicy, and snappy in a way you just don’t see much anymore: real molasses flavor, warm ginger, a little black pepper heat.
So now I make my own every holiday season, the kind that's easy to make with a crackly top, bold spice, and that unmistakable crunch readers always tell me they’ve been hunting for. These are true old-fashioned gingersnaps. A crispy snap, the nostalgic flavor, it's childhood in a bite!
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Why You'll Love 'em
- They have that real old-fashioned snap. Crisp edges, a clean break, and no chewy centers pretending to be gingersnaps.
- They're make-ahead ready. Make these ahead of the holiday season and keep them in the freezer. They're ready when you are.
- Makes plenty to share...one big batch of cookies makes 30! - these cookies are so well loved on any holiday cookie platter, you may even have to make a double batch! They move fast.
- They stay crisp for days. The texture holds beautifully, even in holiday tins, which makes them ideal for make-ahead baking.
Ingredients Needed
Full ingredients, measurements, and printable instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Vegetable Shortening. Butter will give you a chewy cookie, shortening gives us that snap since there's no water in it.
- Granulated Sugar.
- Unsulphured Molasses. Molasses is what gives ginger cookies that rich gingerbread flavor with the spiciness of the ginger. I use the brand Grandma's Molasses. Do not use blackstrap molasses, it's really bitter.
- Vanilla Extract.
- A large egg. Room temperature eggs will give the most consistent results since they won't mess with the baking time.
- All-Purpose Flour.
- Baking Soda.
- Kosher Salt.
- Ground Ginger. We're using a heaping tablespoon (15 grams) of ginger, which gives a great spice to your gingersnaps. If you don't want a lot of ginger spice, use 2 teaspoons instead.
- Ground Cinnamon and Nutmeg. These give the cookies a well-balanced flavor. Make sure you use freshly grated nutmeg if you can find it. I buy my whole nutmeg online here.
- Black Pepper. Want that spicy kick? Adding freshly ground black pepper does that for you without altering the flavor of your gingersnaps. It's what the old recipes used so if it's don't broke, don't fix it, you know?
- Turbinado Sugar. We roll the gingersnaps in a mix of white sugar and turbinado sugar. Turbinado sugar, also called raw sugar, is coarser than granulated sugar and adds great crunch and sparkle to the cookies, but it's optional if you can't find it.
How to Make Old Fashioned Ginger Snap Cookies
Step 1
Cream the shortening and sugar.
Beat them together with a hand mixer on medium using the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. The sugar helps whip air into the fat, which gives you better lift and more cookies. Don’t skip it.
Step 2
Mix the wet ingredients.
Stir in the vanilla, the egg and molasses and mix until well combined.
Step 3
Mix the dry ingredients, then add in batches.
Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices in a separate bowl. Add about a third of the dry mix to the wet ingredients and fold with a rubber spatula until combined. Repeat with the next two additions so the dough comes together evenly without overmixing.
Step 4
Chill the dough, then scoop and coat in sugar.
Chill the dough for 1 hour so the flour hydrates and the cookies bake with better flavor, tender texture, and controlled spread.
After chilling, scoop into balls using a small cookie scoop, roll the dough in a mix of granulated and turbinado sugar, and place 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat. The sugar coating helps them bake up extra crisp and crunchy.
Step 4
Bake and cool for maximum crispness.
Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 12–13 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack for at least 15 minutes. They reach their best, snappiest texture once fully cooled.
What Readers Have to Say
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Equipment I Used
Pro Tips for Crunchy Christmas Cookies
- Fresh spices make all the difference. Old ginger loses its fire. Freshly opened ground ginger and cinnamon, freshly grated nutmeg, plus a pinch of black pepper give that real “old-fashioned” flavor.
- They may deceive you! These cookies seem soft straight from the oven, but they crisp as they cool. Overbaking is the #1 reason gingersnaps turn rock hard instead of snappy.
- Store them uncovered for the first hour. These cookies need to release their moisture before they get packed away, otherwise they soften overnight.
- Cool on a rack, not the pan. Leaving cookies on the hot sheet steams them from the bottom, which steals that crunch you worked so hard for.
Troubleshooting
They probably needed another minute or two in the oven, or they cooled too long on the hot pan. Let them finish crisping on a wire rack.
Sticky dough can be normal with molasses cookies. Chill it for at least an hour, and keep your hands lightly coated in sugar when rolling if they're really, really sticky.
Usually caused by too much flour. Spoon-and-level, and don’t pack the flour into your measuring cup.
That’s a classic sign that you overbaked them. Pull them when the edges darken and the centers still look slightly soft, they will crisp up as they cool.
Both can be frozen, but I love freezing the dough more. You don't have to thaw it, just place them on the baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes
Storing + Freezing Instructions
Storage: Keep the cooled baked cookies in an airtight container (like those good cookie jars!) to keep them snappy. Otherwise they'll soften up and become chewy ginger cookies
Freezing: Nothing is better than a cookie right when you need it right? Freeze your gingersnap cookies in a freezer-safe, zip-top bag for up to 6 months. You can also freeze the unbaked cookie dough balls on a baking sheet until hard, then put them into the freezer-safe zip-top bag to bake whenever needed.
More Cozy Holiday Cookies to Make Next
These cookies always feel like Christmas to me, and I hope they do the same for you. If you share them, tag me @sweet_tea_thyme on Instagram! I adore seeing your recreations.
Craving more cozy recipes? Sign up for the Sweet Tea & Thyme newsletter, save this recipe with the Pin button. If you whip it up, tag me (@sweet_tea_thyme on IG/@sweetteaandthyme on TikTok) and don’t forget to leave a star rating and note below, it helps more than you know, friend.
Old Fashioned Ginger Snap Cookies
Equipment
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- ¾ cup vegetable shortening
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsulphured molasses
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, or ½ teaspoon pre-ground nutmeg
- ½ cup granulated sugar, to roll dough in
- ¼ cup turbinado sugar, to roll dough in
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, cream shortening and sugar for about 3 minutes.¾ cup vegetable shortening, 1 cup granulated sugar
- Add molasses, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix again until everything is combined.½ cup unsulphured molasses, 1 large egg, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and spices. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in batches (I did about a third of the dry ingredients at a time, mixing in well after each addition).2⅓ cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 tablespoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- Cover with plastic wrap and chill the gingersnap dough in your refrigerator for at least 1 hour up to overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃).
- Mix turbinado sugar and the ½ cup of granulated sugar together on a large plate.½ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup turbinado sugar
- Use a small cookie scoop to scoop out dough and roll gently into balls. Roll the cookie dough in the sugar on the plate until fully coated in sugar.
- Place each sugar-coated cookie ball 2 inches apart on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees C (180 degrees C) for 6 minutes, turn the baking sheets 180 degrees for even baking, then bake for another 6-7 minutes.
- Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before carefully transferring to a wire cooling rack to completely cool for 10-15 minutes.
- Keep in an airtight container to keep the gingersnaps snappy for 3-5 days. They will soften the older they are.
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