Molasses Ginger Snaps

Molasses ginger snaps are the original old-fashioned holiday cookie, with deep, dark molasses flavor balanced by warm ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. The signature look is the crackled, crinkled top that forms as the dough balls melt and spread on the baking sheet. The directions even call this out specifically: as the ball melts down, the characteristic crinkled surface will form.

The vinegar in this recipe isn’t a typo. It reacts with the baking soda and the acidic molasses to give the cookies extra lift and that distinctive crackle pattern. Skip the vinegar and you’ll get flat, dense cookies without the iconic crinkle.

Ginger is the soul of the cookie. The recipe lists 2 to 3 teaspoons, and serious ginger lovers should go straight for the higher amount. Cinnamon and cloves play backup, adding warmth without stealing the spotlight.

Serve with hot mulled cider, milk, or strong coffee, and store in an airtight tin where they keep for at least a week.

Pro Tips

• Roll the dough balls in granulated sugar before baking for an extra-crackly, sparkly surface. This is a traditional touch that nearly all bakeries use.
• Don’t overbake. Pull the cookies when they look set but the centers still seem slightly soft. They firm up as they cool, and overbaking turns them brittle.
• Use unsulphured molasses (like Grandma’s brand), not blackstrap. Blackstrap is too bitter and intense for cookies.
• Chill the dough for 30 minutes if it’s too soft to roll into balls. Cold dough also bakes with more dramatic crackling.

Variations

• Add a half teaspoon of black pepper to the dry ingredients for an unexpected, sophisticated heat.
• Fold in a half cup of finely chopped crystallized ginger for chewy ginger pockets and extra zing.
• Sandwich two cookies with cream cheese frosting for a ginger snap whoopie pie.