What is the difference between a gingersnap and gingerbread?

Gingersnaps are thin, crispy, and very prominent in ginger flavor. Gingerbread cookies tend to be a soft cookie that are sweeter and have a more balanced flavor between the ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. You can find my amazing soft gingerbread cookie recipe here.

Why is it called a gingersnap?

These cookies have been around for hundreds of years. They originated in Germany and they called the cookie "schnappen". This is the word for a snap of the fingers, referring to the snapping sound. They are called gingersnaps because they are so crisp they make a snapping sound when broken and are full of ginger.

Can I make these cookies with gluten free flour?

I didn't try it myself but I have great luck using Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1to1 Baking Flour in recipes and I think because these cookies are crisp, they would work great with that flour.

Why are my ginger snap cookies hard?

Here are several reasons why your ginger snap cookies might have turned out hard: Overbaking: Cookies can become hard if they are baked for too long. Make sure to bake these cookies for 20 minutes at 300 degrees F. Too little moisture: If you didn't add enough liquid to the dough, the cookies can become dry and hard. Make sure to measure your ingredients carefully and follow the recipe instructions. Too much flour: If you add too much flour to the dough, it can make the cookies dry and hard. Make sure to measure your flour carefully. Not enough fat: Fat, such as butter, helps to keep cookies moist and tender. If you didn't use enough butter the cookies can become dry and hard. To avoid making hard ginger snap cookies, make sure to measure your ingredients carefully, follow the recipe instructions, and keep a close eye on your cookies in the oven.

Thin and Crispy Gingersnaps

Name: Thin and Crispy Gingersnap Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 12 tablespoons butter; 2 tablespoons ground ginger; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 1 1/4 cups brown sugar; 1/4 cup molasses; 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk; 2 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup granulated sugar for rolling

Description

These thin and crispy gingersnaps cookies are just like your favorite ones from the store. They are spiced to perfection and bordering on spicy, crisp, and full of flavor. You will love these!

Ingredients

Scale

12 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk
2 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar for rolling

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Instructions

In a medium sauce pan, add the butter and melt it over medium heat. When the butter is melted and starts to foam, stir it often. Let it cook 2-4 minutes while stirring until it turns a nutty brown color. Don't walk away from it as it can burn.
Pour the browned butter into a large mixing bowl.
Add the ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and pepper, and stir to combine. Let the mixture cool slightly, about 2 minutes.
Add the brown sugar to the butter mixture and stir to combine.
Add the molasses, egg, and egg yolk to the butter mixture and stir to combine well.
Add the flour, baking soda, and salt to the butter mixture and stir to combine well. I'll use my hands to almost "knead" the dough a little at the end if it gets too thick to stir. Make sure it's fully combined.
Cover the bowl tightly and chill the dough for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a baking mat.
Place the reserved granulated sugar in a small bowl.
Roll one heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball in your hands (it should be about the size of a large shooter marble, so not huge) and then roll the dough into the sugar to coat the outside.
Place the dough balls on the baking sheet 2 inches apart, roughly 12-15 per baking sheet.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and use the bottom of a glass drinking cup to press the cookies flat. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.
Repeat with remaining dough.
The cookies will finish crisping up as they cool.
Store leftover fully cooled cookies in an airtight container.

Notes

Don't skip browning the butter. It helps to remove some of the water from the butter which lends to a crispier cookie.
Flattening the cookies when they come out of the oven does something magical to the texture.
I do think these cookies would lend well to gluten free baking and though I haven't tired it, I think that the Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-t0-1 Baking Flour would work well in this recipe.

Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 20 min
Category: dessert
Method: bake
Cuisine: American

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