Snappy or Soft, Gingersnaps are a Christmas Favorite that Deserve a Comeback

My goal this year has been to try new kinds of Christmas cookies. I always make the same spritz and frosted sugar cookies, but I rarely make molasses-based cookies. The other day I made molasses spice cookies (come back tomorrow for recipe) which were soft, chewy, and so amazing! Then, because I had eaten and given them all away, I wanted more cookies so I decided to make gingersnaps. I think this was my first time making them. I think the only real difference is the amount of butter, mixing method, and the spices. Gingersnaps just have ginger and cinnamon, while molasses spice cookies have all the usual Christmas spices - cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger.

I wanted to make some gingersnaps that were more crispy and some that were softer. I found that it's all about the length of time they're baked. Take them out earlier than you think if you want them to stay soft, and leave them in a little longer for snappier cookies.

These look beautiful to give as gifts. Or serve them for dessert with a cup of tea. I thought it would be easy to eat just one, because they couldn't be nearly as irresistible as chocolate chip cookies, but I was wrong. I had three with my coffee the other morning... oops. Hopefully yours turn out as good as mine did.

Gingersnaps (from The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters)
1½ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1½ teaspoons ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
11 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup mild-flavored molasses (sometimes called ‘light’ molasses)
1 large egg, at room temperature

2 cups flour

Coarse (or granulated) sugar crystals for coating the cookies

Stir together the dry ingredients in medium bowl. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter just until soft and fluffy. Add the sugar and continue to beat until smooth, stopping the mixer to scrape down any butter clinging to the sides of the bowl. Mix in the vanilla, molasses and egg. Mix in the dry ingredients gradually until the dough is smooth.

Divide the dough in two equal portions and place each on its own piece of plastic wrap. Form into logs about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap each in plastic wrap then roll them lightly on the counter to smooth them out. Refrigerate, or better yet, freeze the cookie logs until firm.

To bake, preheat the oven to 350F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Slice cookie dough into 1/4-inch rounds with a sharp knife. Dip one side and press firmly in a bowl of coarse or granulated sugar, and place sugar-side up on baking sheet, evenly-spaced apart. Leave a couple of inches between cookies since they’ll spread while baking.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating the baking sheets midway during baking, until deep-golden brown. The cookies will puff up a bit while baking, then settle down when they’re done. Bake on the lower end of the range for softer cookies, and more for snappier ones, depending on your oven.

Let the cookies cool two minutes, then remove them with a spatula and transfer them to a cooling rack.

Storage: The dough can be refrigerated for up to five days, or frozen for up to three months. Once baked, the cookies can be kept in an air-tight container for a couple of days but like anything made with butter, of course they’re best the day they’re baked.

Merry Christmas!