Light, buttery, crispy, old-fashioned gingersnaps flavored with powdered ginger, cinnamon, molasses, and cloves. Each cookie is rolled in granulated sugar before baking, forming a crunchy, sugary coating that enhances the appearance of the beautiful crackling across the top of the cookie. You can use ordinary table sugar, decorating sugar with larger crystals, or turbinado sugar which adds an extra layer of molasses flavor. Warning: They are addictive!
I live in Texas and, as I wrote this post, we were experiencing the wrath of Hurricane Harvey bearing down on our beloved state. My anxiety level was very high. This was a huge, treacherous storm. My husband could not make it home from work because the highways were flooded and I was home alone. I needed to do something to busy myself as the news unfolding on the TV was almost unbearable. Baking always calms me and I needed a distraction from the TV. I’m not sure why I chose these cookies – probably because they are pretty much foolproof and fun to make. The smell that permeates the house as they are baking is so comforting. Thankfully, we survived the five-day storm with no flooding, damage, or injury. I have friends coming to the house tomorrow and we will do some baking for first responders and volunteers in our town – a very small gesture of thanks. I’m looking forward to it. Here are my Hurricane Harvey Crispy Gingersnaps.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices in a bowl and stir well with a wire whisk or fork. Set aside.
In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together on medium speed the butter and sugar for 5 minutes until very light, fluffy, and whitened.
Add the egg and continue to beat until smooth. Lower speed and beat in half of the dry ingredients, then the molasses. Beat in the remaining dry ingredients. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and use a large rubber spatula or wooden spoon to finish mixing the dough.
Use a small cookie scoop to scoop out dough to form 1-inch diameter balls.
Roll the balls in the sugar and place the balls of dough on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper leaving about 3 inches all around each to allow for spreading.
Bake the cookies for 15 minutes, or until they have spread, the surface has cracked, and they are firm to the touch.
Bet you can’t eat just one!
Store the cookies between sheets of parchment or waxed paper in a tin or plastic container with a tight-fitting cover.
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
- 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1/2 cup sugar in a shallow bowl for finishing
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices in a bowl and stir well with a wire whisk or fork. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together on medium speed the butter and sugar for 5 minutes until very light, fluffy, and whitened.
- Add the egg and continue to beat until smooth. Lower speed and beat in half of the dry ingredients, then the molasses. Beat in the remaining dry ingredients. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and use a large rubber spatula or wooden spoon to finish mixing the dough.
- Use a small cookie scoop to scoop out dough to form 1-inch diameter balls.
- Roll the balls in the sugar and place the balls of dough on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper leaving about 3 inches all around each to allow for spreading.
- Bake the cookies for 15 minutes, or until they have spread, the surface has cracked, and they are firm to the touch.
I love the smell of these cookies and although I can only eat maybe one bite, my husband will take care of the rest. He loves home made anything and these will make him so happy. They look delicious, thank you!!!