Gingerbread Snaps with Ginger (Printable)

Crisp, spicy snaps featuring warm ginger and molasses flavors in a delightful holiday treat.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons ground ginger
03 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
05 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
06 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
07 - 2 teaspoons baking soda

→ Wet Ingredients

08 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
09 - 1 cup granulated sugar
10 - 1 large egg
11 - 1/4 cup molasses

→ Mix-ins

12 - 1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger

→ Topping

13 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar for rolling

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt, and baking soda until evenly mixed.
03 - Using an electric mixer or hand whisk, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and molasses, then mix until fully incorporated.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet batter, stirring just until combined. Fold in the finely chopped crystallized ginger evenly.
05 - Scoop dough by rounded tablespoons and roll each into a ball. Roll the balls in granulated sugar to coat thoroughly.
06 - Place the coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
07 - Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the tops show characteristic cracks.
08 - Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cookies have an addictive snap that gets everyone reaching for more, even people who claim they don't like ginger.
  • They're ready in under an hour from start to finish, making them perfect for last-minute holiday gatherings or a random Tuesday craving.
  • The mix of spices makes your kitchen smell like a holiday market without all the complexity of traditional gingerbread houses.
  • Crystallized ginger adds these little pockets of intense flavor that keep the cookies interesting instead of one-note.
02 -
  • The cookies will feel soft when warm but harden as they cool; this is exactly right, so resist the urge to bake them longer.
  • Crystallized ginger must be finely chopped or it won't distribute evenly and some bites will be overwhelmingly spicy while others are mild.
  • If your butter isn't truly softened, the dough will be greasy and the cookies will spread too thin and lose their snap.
03 -
  • For an extra spice kick without overpowering sweetness, add a pinch of black pepper to the dry ingredients—it amplifies the ginger without being obvious.
  • If you want purely ground ginger flavor without the chewy texture of crystallized pieces, substitute an additional teaspoon of ground ginger for the crystallized ginger, but know you'll lose the texture element that makes these special.

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