I love when the holidays arrive! It’s a time for families to get together and share memories. The nostalgia isn’t complete without the aroma of fresh cookies baking in the oven.
In my family, cookie baking used to start as soon as the leaves changed colors. I would come home from school to the smell of cookies and I could barely wait for them to cool enough to stuff in my mouth. Lol.
As my mom made each kind of cookie, she would tell me where the recipe came from, why she liked it, and would let me lick the spoon. I know, I know, we aren’t supposed to eat raw cookie dough. But…things were less complicated back then.
When I had my own family, I continued the cookie baking tradition but added several more cookie recipes that were shared with me through extended family, the elderly ladies at church, and close friends. Over the years, the recipes have been tweaked and adjusted.
Now, each year, we have a Cousins’ Cookie Baking Day, filled with tons of laughs, great drinks, matching t-shirts, and LOTS of cookies!
One of the must-have recipes we make are The Best Gingersnaps! These cookies are full of that addictive ginger flavor and that perfect balance of crisp and chewy. We always make at least a double batch because we eat them as fast as they come out of the oven. Hahaha!
I hope you and your family enjoy them as much as we do!
How to Make The Best Gingersnaps
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line baking trays with parchment paper.
- Prepare cinnamon sugar and set aside in a small bowl.
- Whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and baking soda in a medium bowl.
- Beat shortening in a large bowl until creamy. Gradually add white sugar, then the egg and molasses. Add ⅓ of the flour mixture at a time. Blend after each addition, just until combined.
- Using a medium cookie scoop (2 Tbsp.), scoop dough and roll into 2” balls. Roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar and place 2” apart on the cookie sheet.
- Bake for 10-11 minutes until the tops are puffed and cracked. Cool cookies for 1 minute on a cookie sheet and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will flatten out as they cool.
- Store in an airtight container. Best made a day ahead to enhance the flavors. They will keep for several days.
The Best Gingersnaps
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp. ground ginger
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. cloves
- ½ tsp. nutmeg
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. sea salt
- ¾ cup butter flavored shortening
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 egg room temperature
- ¼ cup molasses
Cinnamon sugar:
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
Instructions
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line baking trays with parchment paper.
- Prepare cinnamon sugar and set aside in a small bowl.
- Whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and baking soda in a medium bowl.
- Beat shortening in a large bowl until creamy. Gradually add white sugar, then the egg and molasses. Add ⅓ of the flour mixture at a time. Blend after each addition, just until combined.
- Using a medium cookie scoop (2 Tbsp.), scoop dough and roll into 2” balls. Roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar and place 2” apart on the cookie sheet.
- Bake for 10-11 minutes until the tops are puffed and cracked. Cool cookies for 1 minute on a cookie sheet and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will flatten out as they cool.
- Store in an airtight container. Best made a day ahead to enhance the flavors. They will keep for several days.