Gingersnaps

It's officially cookie season. That means it’s time for me to tackle another classic holiday cookie: gingersnaps. Gosh, I love these cookies. They’re loaded with a heavenly combination of spices, including ground cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger. Plus, there’s molasses, which makes them rich and perfectly chewy. With crisp edges and a coating of sparkling sugar on top, they’re everything I love about the holidays in cookie form.

They’re also a “snap” to make. Just mix everything up in a stand mixer, scoop, roll in sugar, and bake—all in about an hour. You don't even have to chill the dough! Of course, if you want to work ahead, you can always freeze the dough and bake it off later (more on that below). Package up a few in a Christmas cookie box and bring them to someone you love.

What is sanding sugar?

You know the colorful sugar that's often used as sprinkles on Christmas cookies? That's sanding sugar. It's a coarse-grain sugar that reflects light and doesn't melt in the oven, so the granules stay intact. In this recipe, it gives the cookies some sparkle and a little sugary crunch. Sanding sugar comes in a kaleidoscope of colors, but I usually stick with the plain, uncolored variety for gingersnaps.

Can you freeze gingersnap dough?

Yes! Scoop the dough balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then transfer the dough to a zip-top plastic bag and freeze for up to three months. Let the dough thaw in the fridge overnight before rolling in the ginger sugar and baking.

What’s the difference between gingersnaps and molasses cookies?

Gingersnaps and molasses cookies are both rich, soft, and chewy cookies, and they contain most of the same ingredients but in different quantities. Both are made with the same amount of granulated sugar, eggs, ground cinnamon and cardamom, but gingersnaps use three times as much ground ginger as molasses cookies, giving them their famous kick. This gingersnap recipe also calls for more molasses, which helps balance the heat of the extra ginger. Molasses cookies, on the other hand, include ground cloves, which gives them a warm, distinctive aroma.

Can you make gingerbread men out of gingersnap dough?

Sadly, no. As tempting as it sounds, gingersnap dough just isn’t meant for cut-out cookies. It’s a softer, looser dough that spreads in the oven, which means those cute little gingerbread men would bake up looking more like gingerbread puddles. Delicious, yes—but definitely not ready for their holiday close-up. If you want to make cut-out cookies with a ginger-spiced dough, use this recipe for gingerbread cookies or this one for gingerbread sandwich cookies instead. The doughs for these cookies are firmer and drier, making them ideal for cutting into shapes that hold up in the oven.