I love these Ginger Snap Cookies because they smell so good as they are baking and taste even better once they are out of the oven and cool enough too eat.
These Ginger Snap Cookies are very easy to make. If you have a stand mixer, use it. Otherwise you can use a hand mixer to make these cookies. And if you don't have any kid of mixer, don't worry. A mixer isn't a must to make these cookies but it helps to ensure that the ingredients are combined well.
The molasses gives these cookies a deep rich taste. But the star of this cookies is the added ginger and cinnamon that give the cookie that "snap".
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Tips and Tricks to making the Best Ginger Snap Cookies
Choosing a Molasses
You may ask what is molasses and how do I choose which one will be good for this recipe. Well the short answer is that molasses is a thick black syrup after the sugar has been removed from the sugar cane juice. It is dark and sticky and has a warm, sticky and smokey flavor. The darker the color the more intense the flavor is. For this Ginger Snap Cookie recipe I used a dark molasses like this one.
Scooping the Dough
Once you have made the dough, use a teaspoon measuring spoon to scoop out the dough and ensure that all the Ginger Snap Cookies are the same size. Pat down the dough into the spoon and then scoop it out by using your thumb to dig it out of the spoon.
If you have to, roll the balls into shape and then place the dough balls in a bowl filled with cinnamon sugar. What's cinnamon sugar? It's exactly that, 90% sugar to 10% cinnamon. Just combine the two and place the mixed sugar and cinnamon into a bowl.
Roll the dough in the cinnamon sugar and make sure that every inch of the cookie surface is covered by the sugar.
Then place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. The cookies should be spaced at least two inches apart, so that they are not to close to one another as they bake.
How to Tell When they are Done
For the Best Ginger Snap Cookies watch them bake paying attention to them rising and cracking. They don't take too long to bake. Bake the cookies keeping an eye on them, particularly that they don't burn. These cookies will take about 10 minutes to bake and will come out of the oven soft but then harden as they cool down. Check on the cookies at about 8 minutes.
You want to watch for a shell that cracking but is firm, but if pressed remains somewhat firm. Sort of like pressing your right thumb into the palm of your left hand. Check on the cookies at about 8 minutes. If at 10 minutes they are too soft, leave to bake for a couple of more minutes. But don't leave them too long or else you'll end up with a hard, dense cookies.
Cool completely before you decide to eat one to avoid scorching your mouth.
Storing Your Cookies
These cookies store very well. Just remember to cool them completely before your store them. You can place them in a plastic container sealed tightly or in a zipper bag for 2 to 3 weeks. Leftover cookies can be frozen for about one to two months. When you are ready to use your frozen cookies, take them from the freezer to the fridge overnight. Once thawed out, you can move them from the fridge to room temperature always keeping them in a sealed container.
Want more cookies recipes? See my Christmas Cookie Baking Collection for 2019 at the following link: Christmas Cookie Baking Collection 2019.
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Recipe Details
Ginger Snap Cookies
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cups shortening
- 1 cups sugar
- 1 egg
- ¼ cups dark molasses
Coating
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Sift together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a mixing bowl. Whisk the dry ingredients together so that they are well blended.
- In a mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the shortening until creamy. Beat in the egg and dark molasses. Add in flour a little at a time until a soft dough forms.
- Pinch off small amounts of dough and roll into 1 inch balls, then roll each ball into sugar mixed with cinnamon (cinnamon sugar). Place each ball on a baking sheet line with parchment paper about 2 inches apart.
- Bake in preheated oven for about 10 minutes, until the tops are slightly cracked. Take out of oven and let cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container. Cookies can also be frozen in an airtight container for about a month.
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