last updated on October 29, 2026
It’s officially December which means it is time for my “12 Days of Christmas Recipes”! For day one we are making the best ever gingersnaps. These gingersnaps are soft, chewy, and have all the best Christmas flavors!
This recipe actually has a lot of family significance! This is my grandma’s gingersnap recipe and she made it all the time. Then, when my parents started dating they got into an argument over who had the better gingersnap recipe. To settle the debate, they had a bake-off! My dad made this recipe, my mom made hers. Judging on how I just told you that my dad made this recipe, it’s clear that he won! Ever since then, this has been a go-to cookie recipe for my family!
A lot of gingersnap recipes give you thin, crispy cookies. I’m not a huge fan of these. This recipe, though, gives you big, soft cookies! The dream!
what ingredients do i need for this recipe?
- white sugar
- butter
- shortening
- eggs
- molasses
- flour
- baking soda
- cinnamon
- salt
- ground ginger
Molasses can be found at any grocery store, usually on the baking aisle! The molasses and ground ginger are what give these cookies their distinct flavor. And what make them taste Christmas-y!
If you can’t find shortening or live somewhere where it isn’t sold, you can us all butter instead. It will alter the consistency a bit, but it will work!
tips for these gingersnaps
The thing that gives these cookies their distinct look is rolling them in sugar! Before we cook the dough, roll each dough ball in granulated white sugar. You can just dip the top half in sugar, or roll the entire thing! Both work fine.
These cookies have enough grease in them that they don’t need to be on heavily greased baking sheets. Either lightly grease your baking sheet or use a silicone mat! Either one works great and your cookies won’t stick to the pan.
other cookie recipes you will love!
gingersnaps
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup shortening
- 1/2 cup butter slightly softened
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 4 cups flour
- 1 tbsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 cup white sugar to roll the dough balls in
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350. Add sugar, shortening, and butter to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix for 2-3 minutes until ingredients are fully mixed and fluffy.
- Add eggs and molasses and mix until just combined. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and ginger. Mix until just combined.
- Add the 1/4 cup of sugar to a shallow bowl or plate. Using a 1/4 cup cookie scoop, scoop out dough and roll it into a smooth ball in the palms of your hands. Drop the dough ball into the sugar and roll it around until it is completely coated. Alternatively you can just dip the dough ball so the top half is coated. Either works. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Bake at 350 for 8-11 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack. Enjoy!
If you don’t have shortening is more butter ok?
hey! yes, if you can’t find shortening, more butter is fine. it will alter the consistency slightly, but they’ll still work!
If you don’t have shortening is more butter ok?
hey! yes, if you can’t find shortening, more butter is fine. it will alter the consistency slightly, but they’ll still work!
Is this with salted or unsalted butter? Looks so good 🙂
I use salted! But either is fine.
Is this with salted or unsalted butter? Looks so good 🙂
I use salted! But either is fine.
Hi! Id love to make these ahead of time and bake later. Do think if I froze the dough in balls and defrosted before baking they would hold up okay? They look amazing!
Hi! Yes, making the dough ahead of time works great!! Make the dough, roll them out, then stick them in a sealed container or bag in the freezer. They’ll hold up beautifully! You’ll just need to add a couple minutes to the baking time.
Hi! Id love to make these ahead of time and bake later. Do think if I froze the dough in balls and defrosted before baking they would hold up okay? They look amazing!
Hi! Yes, making the dough ahead of time works great!! Make the dough, roll them out, then stick them in a sealed container or bag in the freezer. They’ll hold up beautifully! You’ll just need to add a couple minutes to the baking time.
I don’t know what I did wrong, but mine came out like crinkle cookies and much flatter. The cookie itself in flavor though is a 10/10!! Delicious ?
hi! sometimes altitude can slightly adjust the amount of flour needed for these cookies / how they look when baked. but i’m so glad they still tasted great!
I don’t know what I did wrong, but mine came out like crinkle cookies and much flatter. The cookie itself in flavor though is a 10/10!! Delicious ?
hi! sometimes altitude can slightly adjust the amount of flour needed for these cookies / how they look when baked. but i’m so glad they still tasted great!
Just made these today! They were delicious!
YAY thanks brooke! so glad you enjoyed these!
Just made these today! They were delicious!
YAY thanks brooke! so glad you enjoyed these!
What can I use instead of molasses? Organic honey?!? They look yummy!
hi! i would not recommend substituting the molasses. the molasses is a key ingredient in these cookies and gives them their very distinct taste and texture! if you can’t access molasses i would probably try a different recipe. i hope this helps!
What can I use instead of molasses? Organic honey?!? They look yummy!
hi! i would not recommend substituting the molasses. the molasses is a key ingredient in these cookies and gives them their very distinct taste and texture! if you can’t access molasses i would probably try a different recipe. i hope this helps!
What can I use use instead of molasses? Would honey be ok or would it make the cookies not chewy once baked?
hi! molasses is a very key ingredient in these cookies that gives these cookies their distinct taste and texture! i would not recommend subbing it with anything.
What can I use use instead of molasses? Would honey be ok or would it make the cookies not chewy once baked?
hi! molasses is a very key ingredient in these cookies that gives these cookies their distinct taste and texture! i would not recommend subbing it with anything.
made these as part of my 2021 holiday cookie boxes, by far everyone’s favourite (there were four other contenders). super soft, chewy, easy to make, this is a recipe i’ll be going back to for years to come
YAY so glad you enjoyed these! and glad they made it into the holiday cookie boxes 🙂 happy holidays!
made these as part of my 2021 holiday cookie boxes, by far everyone’s favourite (there were four other contenders). super soft, chewy, easy to make, this is a recipe i’ll be going back to for years to come
YAY so glad you enjoyed these! and glad they made it into the holiday cookie boxes 🙂 happy holidays!
I just finished baking these for a cookie exchange. I doubled the recipe so I could have 6 dozen. I am happy to report I ended up with 10 dozen nice sized cookies. I would even say large cookies! So I am grateful to have extra to give neighbors for a gift. They are AMAZING! I will make these every year.I live at sea level and I had to cook them for 12 minutes to get them perfect. Thank you for sharing!
YAY I’m so glad you enjoyed these and that so many others got to enjoy them as well! and so happy to hear this recipe is a new Christmas staple 🙂
I just finished baking these for a cookie exchange. I doubled the recipe so I could have 6 dozen. I am happy to report I ended up with 10 dozen nice sized cookies. I would even say large cookies! So I am grateful to have extra to give neighbors for a gift. They are AMAZING! I will make these every year.I live at sea level and I had to cook them for 12 minutes to get them perfect. Thank you for sharing!
YAY I’m so glad you enjoyed these and that so many others got to enjoy them as well! and so happy to hear this recipe is a new Christmas staple 🙂
These are our new favorite cookies!! I rolled the extra dough into a ball to save for later. How long do you think it’ll be good in the fridge?
YAYYY so glad you loved these!! it will stay good in the fridge for 3-4 days. the dough also freezes really well! just roll them into balls first, then pop them into the freezer. they’ll last for 3-4 months in the freezer.
These are our new favorite cookies!! I rolled the extra dough into a ball to save for later. How long do you think it’ll be good in the fridge?
YAYYY so glad you loved these!! it will stay good in the fridge for 3-4 days. the dough also freezes really well! just roll them into balls first, then pop them into the freezer. they’ll last for 3-4 months in the freezer.
Has anyone figured out a substitute for egg? 🙂
Would like to determine if there’s a vegan option for thesez
you could try a flax egg? i’ve never tried using flax eggs for this recipe, but you could give it a shot!
Has anyone figured out a substitute for egg? 🙂
Would like to determine if there’s a vegan option for thesez
you could try a flax egg? i’ve never tried using flax eggs for this recipe, but you could give it a shot!
So delicious! One of the easiest recipes for gingersnaps I have ever made! Also, I love the fact it make so many cookies! We had plenty to share! Happy Holidays.
yay! so glad you loved these! and yes, its the perfect recipe to share!
So delicious! One of the easiest recipes for gingersnaps I have ever made! Also, I love the fact it make so many cookies! We had plenty to share! Happy Holidays.
yay! so glad you loved these! and yes, its the perfect recipe to share!
Hi, can you use coconut oil as shortening?
hi! i would not recommend using coconut oil in place of shortening. if you can’t find shortening, just use butter instead!
Hi, can you use coconut oil as shortening?
hi! i would not recommend using coconut oil in place of shortening. if you can’t find shortening, just use butter instead!
These came out perfect, a gorgeous texture and very soft and pretty! I had to add a few minutes to the baking time—I typically do with this blog’s recipes.
i’m so glad you loved these!
These came out perfect, a gorgeous texture and very soft and pretty! I had to add a few minutes to the baking time—I typically do with this blog’s recipes.
i’m so glad you loved these!
I absolutely love this recipe! Thank you! I agree, chewy ginger cookies are superior and these are so easy to make and soo yummy, even my littles like them! To make them even more festive, I combined red and green crystal sugar to roll them in!
YAY i’m so glad you loved these!! and rolling them in festive sugar is such a great idea!
I absolutely love this recipe! Thank you! I agree, chewy ginger cookies are superior and these are so easy to make and soo yummy, even my littles like them! To make them even more festive, I combined red and green crystal sugar to roll them in!
YAY i’m so glad you loved these!! and rolling them in festive sugar is such a great idea!
Hi there! Can this dough be made in advanced? Can I freeze it? Delicious cookies by the way! My favorite cookie recipe so far
hi! yes, you can absolutely freeze the dough! just first scoop it out and roll it in sugar, then keep the dough balls in an airtight container in the freezer.