Molasses Ginger Snaps
Submitted by DonsMaggie
Molasses ginger snaps with the classic crackled tops that form as the dough balls melt and spread. Warmly spiced with ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, these crisp-edged cookies are a holiday baking staple.
YIELD
48 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
12 minREADY
27 minMolasses 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.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 325℉ (160℃).
Cream butter with sugar. Beat in eggs, molasses and vinegar.
Sift together and add flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and cloves.
Mix until blended. Form dough into ¾ inch balls.
Bake on a greased cookie sheet for about 12 minutes.
As the ball melts down the characteristic crinkled surface will form.
Comments



