Classic Holiday Gingersnap Cookies

5 from 1 vote

Classic Holiday Gingersnap Cookies

These classic holiday gingersnaps bake up crisp, crackly, and perfectly spiced with warm ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. They’re rolled in cinnamon sugar for sparkle, then decorated with white icing and fondant holly leaves for a festive finish. Ideal for gifting, cookie trays, or make-ahead holiday baking.

Prep Time15

Cook Time13

Total Time28

Course: Chrismas, Cookies

Cuisine: American

Servings: gingersnaps

Calories: 46kcal

Author: Chula King

Equipment

2 half-sheet pans lined iwth parchment paper
Small bowl with whisk
medium bowl
Electric Mixer
2-teaspoon (1 ¼-inch) ice cream scoop

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups (8.75 ounces, 248 grams) granulated sugar, divided
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
¾ cup (5.1 ounces, 145 grams) solid vegetable shortening (plain Crisco) (See Tip 1)
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1 large egg
⅓ cup (4 ounces, 113 grams) molasses
2 cups (10 ounces, 283 grams) all-purpose flour
White store-bought cookie icing for decoration (optional) (See Tip 3)
Fondant or royal icing holly leaves with berries for decoration (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
Whisk together ¼ cup of granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon in a small bowl for the cookie coating. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, beat together the shortening, remaining ¾ cup of sugar, salt, baking soda, ground ginger, remaining 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and cloves until smooth and creamy.
Add the egg and beat until well incorporated. Add the molasses and beat until well incorporated.
Add the flour; beat on low just until incorporated.
Use a 2-teaspoon cookie scoop to portion the dough into balls. Coat each ball thoroughly with the sugar-cinnamon mixture, then roll between your palms to form a smooth ball. Place on the prepared half-sheet pan, spacing them at least 1½ inches apart. (See Tip 4)
Bake in the preheated 375°F oven for 11 to 13 minutes. (See Tip 5)
Remove from the oven; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
If desired, decorate with white cookie icing and fondant or royal icing holly leaves.
Yield: Approximately 5 dozen gingersnaps.

Video

Notes

For a chewier gingersnap, substitute unsalted butter for the vegetable shortening.
Use more or less ginger to suit your taste.
The store-bought cookie icing is designed to harden as it sits. Make sure your cookie icing has this feature.
On my half-sheet pans, I had 6 rows of cookie balls with 3 balls per row.
I like my gingersnaps to be crisp, so I baked them for the full 13 minutes. If you prefer a chewier gingersnap, bake for 11 minutes.

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