These classic gingersnap cookies have a delicious ginger molasses flavor with crinkly tops and a nice crunch. The recipe can be made from start to finish in very little time, thanks to the fact that there's no need to chill the dough. They're also a great make ahead cookie because the dough freezes beautifully. These are perfect for making around the holidays and gifting to friends and family, but they're equally delicious all year round dipped in your favorite coffee or tea.
2cupsall-purpose flour (250 grams) for thicker cookies, use 2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
2teaspoonsbaking soda
2-3teaspoonsginger powder
1teaspooncinnamon
¼teaspoonground cloves
½taspoonsalt
¾cupunsalted butter (168 grams) softened but not starting to melt, it should still feel slightly cool to the touch
1cupgranulated sugar (200 grams)
1largeegg
1teaspoonvanilla extract
¼cupmolasses (60 ml) see recipe notes for measuring tips
⅓cupgranulated sugar (67 grams) for sugar coating
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 275F (190C). Line cookie trays with parchment paper or baking mats.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Set aside.
In a separate large bowl, beat together the butter and 1 cup sugar until combined. You should no longer see lumps of butter.
Then mix in the egg, vanilla and molasses. Continue mixing until combined and you no longer see pieces of egg. The mixture shouldn't look curdled.
Sift the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Beat the ingredients together, starting with the mixer on a low speed and gradually increasing to medium speed. If you want slightly thicker cookies, mix in up to ¼ cup more flour. The dough will be sticky either way.
Pour the ⅓ cup sugar for the sugar coating onto a small plate.
Scoop the dough into balls with about 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of dough each (I use a cookie scoop). Drop each dough ball onto the plate of sugar and roll the dough ball in the sugar so that it's evenly coated.
Place the dough balls 2 to 2.5 inches (about 5-7 cm) apart on the lined cookie sheets.
Bake 1 sheet at a time in the middle of the oven. Bake for 10-12 minutes for slightly chewy cookies or 12-14 minutes for crispier cookies.
Cool cookies on the cookie sheets for at least 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to continue cooling.
Notes
Molasses: Be sure to use unsulphured cooking molasses. Molasses labeled light, fancy or cooking molasses is perfect for this recipe. Do not use blackstrap molasses. It is far too bitter for baking. To measure molasses, lightly grease a liquid measuring cup. Pour molasses into the cup until you reached the ¼ cup line when looking at eye level. By greasing the cup, the molasses will easily pour out, instead of sticking to the cup.
Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Baked and cooled cookies can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge. Cookie dough balls can be frozen in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen, as directed in the recipe.
Nutrition: Details provided are an estimate only and based on 1 cookie, assuming the recipe yields 34 uniform cookies.