{"id":14302,"date":"2020-12-13T10:15:29","date_gmt":"2020-12-13T14:15:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/growagoodlife.com\/?p=14302"},"modified":"2023-12-03T13:03:19","modified_gmt":"2023-12-03T17:03:19","slug":"gingersnaps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/growagoodlife.com\/gingersnaps\/","title":{"rendered":"Old Fashioned Gingersnaps"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gingersnaps scream old fashioned with their use of warm spices and molasses. They are a type of crispy cookie that makes a snapping sound when eaten or broken in half.<\/p>\n

The brittle structure of gingersnap cookies makes them easy to package as gifts. The ginger’s spiciness and the molasses’ richness pair well with tea or coffee.<\/p>\n

\"Freshly<\/p>\n

Ginger flavored cakes have a very long history. Written accounts of ginger breads can be found as early as the 13th century in records of medieval monks in Franconia, Germany.<\/p>\n

Variations of ginger snaps, ginger nuts, ginger biscuits, and ginger bread can be found around the world. Early versions of gingersnaps were firm gingerbread biscuits pressed with a stamp that imprinted a decorative pattern.<\/p>\n

As English, Dutch, and German settlers came to American colonies, they brought the tradition of baking ginger snaps along with the necessary spices, including dried and powdered ginger.<\/p>\n

Gingersnap recipes have appeared in many of the early American cookbooks, including The Improved Housewife<\/em> by Mrs. A. L. Webster, published in 1844, Miss Beecher’s Domestic Receipt Book<\/em> by Catharine Beecher, published in 1846, and The Practical Cook Book<\/em> by Mrs. Bliss in 1850.<\/p>\n\n

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This gingersnaps recipe is adapted from my Grandmother’s, The United States Regional Cook Book<\/em>, published in 1939. When I inherited this cookbook, I noticed several pages marked using bookmarks made from a folded piece of plain paper from our local paper mill. I have kept each bookmark in place all these years. This page spread includes several classic cookie recipes from my childhood, including these gingersnaps. I have used a variation of this recipe for many years.<\/p>\n

Steps to Making Gingersnap Cookies<\/h2>\n

This gingersnap cookie recipe is bursting with ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and molasses flavors and coated with granulated sugar for a bit of sparkle and a crackly coating.<\/p>\n

It is important to use fresh spices for this recipe. Older spices lose flavor over time, and you want the full, warm flavors of fresh spices in these cookies.<\/p>\n

You will want to use unsulphured molasses<\/a> in baking sweets, not blackstrap molasses. Molasses made from ripe sugar cane is called unsulfured molasses. It has a higher natural sugar content that helps preserve it. It tastes sweeter and has no additives. Blackstrap molasses is extracted from unripe sugarcane and treated with sulfur dioxide as a preservative. It has less sugar and a somewhat bitter flavor that you don’t want when baking cookies.<\/p>\n

You can find the full detailed recipe at the bottom of this article, but here are the illustrated steps to making old-fashioned gingersnaps:<\/p>\n

Make the Cookie Dough<\/h3>\n
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  1. Combine the dry ingredients:<\/strong> In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt together until well combined. Set aside.<\/li>\n
  2. Blend the butter and sugar<\/strong> in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg and molasses, and continue mixing until everything is well combined.<\/li>\n
  3. Combine wet and dry ingredients:<\/strong> Gradually add the flour mixture a little at a time and combine until well blended.<\/li>\n
  4. Cover and chill<\/strong> cookie dough for at least one hour or up to 24 hours.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \"The
    1) Dry ingredients, 2) Wet ingredients, 3) Combine, and 4) Chill<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Shape and Bake the Cookies<\/h3>\n

    Preheat the oven to 375\u02daF, line two cookie sheets with parchment paper, and add the granulated sugar to a small bowl.<\/p>\n

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    1. Shape:<\/strong> Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator. Using a cookie scoop or spoon, scoop out about a heaping teaspoon of dough and shape dough into 1-inch balls.<\/li>\n
    2. Coat with Sugar:<\/strong> Roll each ball in the sugar to coat all sides, and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.<\/li>\n
    3. Flatten:<\/strong> Use the bottom of a glass to flatten the cookie dough balls for a thin, crisp cookie, or leave them as is for a softer, chewy cookie.<\/li>\n
    4. Bake<\/strong> in a preheated oven until edges are set and tops are crackled, about 8 to 10 minutes.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
      \"The
      1) Roll the dough into balls, 2) Coat with sugar, 3) Flatten, and 4) Bake<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

      Cool slightly, remove from the baking sheet, and cool completely on a wire rack. Let the baking sheets cool, and repeat with the next batch until all the cookie dough is used. Makes about 48 cookies.<\/p>\n

      To store, let the cookies cool completely, and then store them in an airtight container for several weeks, or you can freeze the cookies for up to 6 months.<\/p>\n

      \"Gingersnap<\/p>\n

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      <\/div>\n\t<\/g><\/svg><\/span> Print<\/a>\n\t<\/path><\/g><\/svg><\/span> Pin<\/a>\n\t
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      5<\/span> from 1 vote<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

      Old Fashioned Gingersnap Cookies Recipe<\/h2>\n
      <\/div>\n
      Gingersnaps scream old fashioned with their use of warm spices and molasses. They are a type of crispy cookie that makes a snapping sound when eaten or broken in half.<\/span><\/div>\n
      <\/div>\n
      <\/g><\/svg><\/span> Course <\/span>Dessert<\/span><\/div>
      <\/g><\/svg><\/span> Cuisine <\/span>American<\/span><\/div>
      <\/g><\/svg><\/span> Keyword <\/span>gingersnaps<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n
      <\/div>\n
      <\/g><\/svg><\/span> Prep Time <\/span>15 minutes<\/span><\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span><\/div>
      <\/g><\/svg><\/span> Cook Time <\/span>10 minutes<\/span><\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span><\/div>
      <\/path><\/g><\/svg><\/span> Chill Time <\/span>1 hour<\/span><\/span> hour<\/span><\/span><\/div>
      <\/g><\/svg><\/span> Total Time <\/span>1 hour<\/span><\/span> hour<\/span> 25 minutes<\/span><\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n
      <\/div>\n
      <\/g><\/svg><\/span> Servings <\/span>48<\/span> cookies<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
      <\/g><\/svg><\/span> Calories <\/span>69<\/span>kcal<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
      <\/g><\/svg><\/span> Author <\/span>Grow a Good Life<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n

      Ingredients<\/h3>