Chewy gingersnaps are the soft-spoken storytellers of the biscuit tin. They carry the memory of old spice markets—ginger once considered so valuable that Europeans locked it away like treasure—and the cosy, cold-weather rituals of northern kitchens where molasses was stirred into everything that needed backbone and comfort. In this story of biscuits, the gingersnaps recipe stands out with its unique flavors.
Where the classic gingersnap cracks like thin ice, this version yields. It bends, sighs, and offers a plush ginger-glow at the centre. The edges stay polite and crisp, but the inside keeps its warmth, almost as if the biscuit is harbouring its own little hearth—which is just what you want from chewy gingersnaps.
They’re the kind of biscuits you bake when the day needs softening: dusk settling early, a kettle humming in the corner, the air smelling faintly of cinnamon and caramel. One bite and you get that gentle chew, that dark sweetness, that shimmer of spice—a small reminder that winter isn’t something to fight, but something to eat your way through, especially with homemade gingersnaps on hand.
Ingredients
- 170 g unsalted butter, softened
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 50 g light brown sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 extra egg yolk
- 75 ml maple syrup
- 1 tsp milk
- 315 g all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking soda (≈ 10 g)
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1½ tsp ground ginger
- Granulated Sugar (for rolling)
Method
- Preheat the oven: 180°C (fan 160°C). For best results, prepare your gingersnaps dough ahead of time.
- Cream the sugars and butter: Beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the wet ingredients: Mix in the egg, extra yolk, molasses, and optional teaspoon of milk. Beat until fully combined. It’s the molasses that gives the classic gingersnaps their distinctive chew and color.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In another bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. These are the basics for most gingersnaps recipes.
- Combine: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix until the dough just comes together—don’t overmix.
- Chill: Refrigerate dough for 30–60 minutes. This keeps the cookies thick and chewy, as every good batch of gingersnaps should be.
- Shape: Roll dough into 25–28 g balls (slightly smaller than a golf ball). If you like a crackly finish, roll them lightly in granulated sugar.
- Bake: Arrange on a lined tray with 5–7 cm space between each. Bake for 8–10 minutes—the edges should look set, the centres slightly puffy and soft. This timing is ideal for gingersnaps that are chewy.
- Cool: Let the cookies rest on the tray for 10 minutes, then move to a wire rack. Enjoy these gingersnaps warm or at room temperature.
