By Genevieve Ko
- Total Time
- 45 minutes, plus chilling
- Rating
- 4(823)
- Notes
- Read community notes
These cookies combine the crackly outsides and tender, chewy centers of snickerdoodles with the warming ginger and molasses of gingerbread. It’s a more nuanced version of winter gingerbread and a punchier take on snickerdoodles. If you’re in a rush, you can bake the cookies without first chilling the dough. It’ll be too soft to roll in the cinnamon sugar, but you can scoop the dough right onto the pan and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on top of the rounds. You won’t get as even a coating, but will still get the crackle effect.
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Ingredients
Yield:32 cookies
- 2½cups/320 grams all-purpose flour
- 1teaspoon baking soda
- 1teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1tablespoon ground ginger
- 2½teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¾cup/170 grams unsalted butter (1½ sticks), at room temperature
- ¼cup molasses
- 1¼cups/250 grams sugar
- 2large eggs, at room temperature
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (32 servings)
118 calories; 5 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 18 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 10 grams sugars; 1 gram protein; 69 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, ginger, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, molasses, and 1 cup sugar on medium speed until creamy and smooth, scraping bowl occasionally. With machine running, add eggs and beat until incorporated, scraping bowl occasionally. Turn speed to low. Gradually add flour mixture and beat until just incorporated. (You can make the dough by hand, too: In a large bowl, beat butter, molasses and sugar with a wooden spoon until creamy and smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. While stirring with the spoon, gradually add flour mixture and stir until no traces of flour remain.)
Step
2
Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm enough to roll, at least 30 minutes and up to 2 days.
Step
3
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. In medium bowl, mix remaining ¼ cup sugar, 1½ teaspoons cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon salt. Portion ¾-ounce (1½ tablespoons) dough by packing dough level into a ¾-ounce cookie scoop or scooping a rounded ball in a measuring tablespoon. Drop into the cinnamon sugar and roll to coat. Put on a prepared sheet. Repeat with dough and cinnamon sugar, spacing balls 2 inches apart, until sheet is filled.
Step
4
Bake until tops crackle and bottoms are golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overbake; the cookies should look dry and set. While first batch bakes, scoop and roll remaining dough, then bake after first batch comes out. Cool completely on sheets on wire racks.
Tip
- The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw before serving. (They’re even better if reheated lightly in a toaster oven.)
Ratings
4
out of 5
823
user ratings
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Cooking Notes
Lexi
I had no issues with this recipe— followed it as written, making sure to cream the butter and sugar very well. I used fresh spices (purchased within the last month), blackstrap molasses, and salted butter, so omitted the salt in the recipe. I chilled the batter for about 45 minutes before scooping and rolling in cinnamon sugar. These were delicious— the flavors of a ginger snap, the pillowy texture and crackled top of a snickerdoodle. This recipe is going into the rotation!
mike
Terribly written recipe. Why are there 4 steps and a note crammed into "step 1." Also if ingredients are going to be split you need to note that in the ingredient list.
Ottie
Just some basic tips since everyone bakes a little different. - Make sure you spend some time creaming the sugar and butter. - Mix in the flour mix until JUST combined - Be sure to chill the dough and that your 3/4oz balls are firm when putting them in the oven. If they get soft while rolling them, you could put them back in the fridge for a bit. It’s really this ball form that will keep them puffy rather than flat when baked. Hope this helps!
Paige
After you scoop the cookie dough, you "roll to coat" in the cinnamon sugar. Snickerdoodles are, as you said, drop cookies. Rolling the dough out would lead to a very flat, crispy cookie lacking the crackled appearance.
Jana
Maybe they mean "firm enough to roll into balls"?
Laura
These are okay - they're a slightly more spicy snickerdoodle or an anemic gingersnap. Fresh out of the oven, the cream of tartar is coming through pretty sharply even for a snickerdoodle - I'd reduce it by half next time. I didn't need to chill the dough to roll them.
Linnea
These cookies RULE! They taste and look so perfect. I made a half recipe using hand held beaters. Make sure to cream the butter/sugar/molasses mixture until it's really light and fluffy, 2+ min. Add a dash of cardamom to the dry ingredients, too. Fridge the dough for several hours, roll into balls, fridge again, and then immediately bake.Perfect low-key holiday cookie that everyone will love.
Tamara Mitchell
Poorly written recipe. Would be nice to follow the standard of indicating the spices are to be divided, or to separate the ingredients intended for coating the cookies. I can say they are still edible with the full measure of cinnamon in the dough, but they did not bake into the typical snickerdoodle crackle. Was very excited to try this as it marries two of my favorites, but this recipe is pretty disappointing and doesn't satisfy either of those cravings.
Ash
These were a hit! Wondering what’s taken me so long to unite two of our favorites. If you tinker with the spices in the dough and topping, you should be able to get it to your liking. (We added a smidge more cinnamon and ginger, plus cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice for a deeply warming holiday flavor. Kids gave them an extra roll in sugar crystal sprinkles; turbinado could work too.) As they are darker, watch for that “set” texture more than color to know when to pull them out.
freeman
Meh. Super sweet, didn’t crack, tasted more like an overly sweet ginger cookie with a soft texture. Easy enough recipe but I’ve had better.
Marilyn
Yes, you roll them into balls and roll the balls in the sugar mixture.
Christy
These hit the spot! Substituted 1.5tsp baking powder for the cream of tartar. Added fresh ginger. Cooked well at high altitude (6500ft) - just go a little light on the leavening and healthy poor of molasses.
skye
this recipe is perfect. delicious, warm, spiced cookies that are easy to make and overall crowd-pleasure. they’re like snickerdoodles with a ginger kick—my family calls them kickerdoodles! tips: - make sure you cream the sugar and butter for a WHILE…like ten minutes so they’re nice and fluffy - add flour until JUST combined- form into balls after twenty minutes of refrigeration, and then refrigerate for a bit longer (i did overnight) so they don’t spread too much on the baking sheet
Robin
Baked as written, no issues with the recipe. These came out perfectly, pillowy and delicious. Will definitely become a regular part of the Christmas cookie rotation.
Liz
Made as described in recipe & delicious. BUT, NYT, please explain the "nutritional information" that this cookie, made with flour, sugar and butter, includes ZERO carbohydrates or trans fat. How can this be? (Second request to NYT for clarification.)
BabsDee
I used 2 tsp white vinegar as substitute for the cream of tartar. Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 gluten free flour. Blackstrap molasses. Ceylon cinnamon. These were great. Used a smaller cookie scoop and got far more smaller cookies
Liz
Followed recipe exactly with one slight modification - for the topping, used half granulated sugar and half Demera sugar. BEAUTIFUL & DELICIOUS!
Judy
Chilled dough 4 hours, dough was airy and sticky when scooped. Spread flat. Cooled into crisp thin wafers. Not the snickerdoodles i was hoping for.
Annie J
Adored these! The texture of a molasses cookie with the flavor of a snickerdoodle. Might be the best cookies I ever made. Followed recipe as-is.
Erin Hughes
I messed up and added all the cinnamon to the dough instead of dividing it (oops), but that did not matter one bit. I just left it out of the final step. Tossed in a ziplock bag with only sugar so it wasn’t overpowering.I made a few other modifications, as well. Added some ground cloves and nutmeg - the tiniest dusting - to the dough and WOW. My husband and son can’t stay away from them, they are almost gone!Make a double batch, they go fast! Thanks for the recipe! It’s a keeper!
Carolynn H
My friend Amy brought these to a holiday party today, and they were outstanding! The perfect blend of two great cookies! Hoping she’ll make them again, or I’ll have to try this recipe!
KL
Followed the directions exactly, chilled dough for 2 hours. (The two day chilling might work) Cookies still spread out and actually touched even though they were about 2 1/2 inch apart. Did not get the normal snickerdoodle look. Next time I’d also use a coarser sugar in the mixture. Still tasted good, and I have lots of misshapen cookies to eat.
Sarah
We ran out of cinnamon for the cinnamon sugar and used pumpkin pie spice instead - so delicious!
DT
I agree with those suggesting that the recipe be written separating the ingredients for the dough from those used for the coating. Those us racing through making batches of holiday cookies missed the this detail (guilty). I think these are bland for a ginger cookies and would suggest spicing it up a bit.
mo
Extremely poorly organized recipe. Need to separate quantities of sugar, cinnamon and salt.
Emily
I make these every year. Love them - great texture, fun flavor. Makes for a nice addition to the cookies I hand out for the holiday.
Amy
I loved the soft texture of these, but wish I’d added more spice (cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, all-spice) like others suggested.
kzkz
I thought these were sadly disappointing. Just pretty bland, and the texture was a little dry for me (I tried at both 10 minutes and 12 minutes).
Christy McMannen
Poorly written recipe.Tips:-stick to the standard amount listed in the ingredients -do not use 1/4 cup of sugar in the toppings
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