Gingerbread Snickerdoodles
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Gingerbread Snickerdoodles are the perfect cookie for the holiday season! They’re soft, chewy, and filled with cozy gingerbread flavor in every bite. Each cookie is coated twice in a spiced cinnamon-sugar mixture, giving them an extra festive flavor.
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gingerbread snickerdoodles
Gingerbread Snickerdoodles, also known as Gingerdoodles are the perfect combination of my two favorite classic cookies, Snickerdoodles and Gingerbread Cookies. These bakery-style cookies are jumbo size with crackling tops and make the best holiday cookie.
If you love Snickerdoodles, try my Brown Butter Pumpkin Snickerdoodles and Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bites. And, if you love all things gingerbread, try my Mini Gingerbread Cookies, Gingerbread Sheet Cake, Frosted Gingerbread Cookies and Gingerbread Cookie Bars.
Why You’ll Love gingerbread snickerdoodles
key ingredients
- All-purpose flour: Spoon and level the flour when measuring it. Be sure not to scoop it out of the bag using the measuring cup. This way, you won’t accidentally measure out too much.
- Baking soda and baking powder: Used as a leavening agent.
- Butter: I used salted butter so you don’t have to add salt but you can also use unsalted butter, just add 1/4 teaspoon salt in the recipe. It’s best if the butter is at room temperature and slightly softened.
- Unsulphured molasses: Adds moisture and sweet and warm flavors of gingerbread. Be sure not to use blackstrap molasses as it will change the cookie flavor.
- Sugar: We use light or dark brown sugar and granulated white sugar to add the perfect amount of sweetness and chewy texture. Brown sugar will make extra chewy gingerbread cookies which is what we want for this recipe.
- Egg: You’ll need one large egg at room temperature.
- Spices: We use ground cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and cloves to give spiced gingerbread flavors.
- Cream of tartar: You can’t make Snickerdoodles without it! Gives a slight tang and the classic Snickerdoodle flavor.
how to make Gingerbread Snickerdoodles
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Beat butter and sugar: In a large bowl with an electric hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy for a few minutes. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Add remaining wet ingredients: Add in molasses and beat until combined. Then add in egg and vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tarter and spices.
Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture: Mix until cookie batter has formed. Be sure not to over-mix.
For the Cinnamon-Sugar Coating
Mix together the sugar, cinnamon and ginger in a small bowl.
To Roll the Cookies
Scoop cookie dough balls: Using a regular ice-cream scoop (equivalent to 1/4 cup) to scoop out cookie dough balls. Roll each dough ball into the sugar-cinnamon mixture. Thoroughly coat each ball.
Bake and sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar: Place the coated balls on the prepared baking sheets, 2 ½ inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until just barley golden around the edges. They may look underbaked but they will bake more once they cool. Immediately sprinkle on remaining cinnamon sugar mixture onto the top of the cookies. This will make them extra delicious and loaded with sweet spiced flavor. Cool for several minutes on the baking sheets before moving to a cooling rack. Enjoy!
tips & Variations
- Smaller cookies: Use a mini cookie scoop to scoop the dough to make regular or mini sized cookies. Be sure to reduce the baking time by a few minutes.
- Make the cookie dough in advance: Leave the cookie dough in the fridge or freezer for up to 3 days. The dough will be very firm so make sure to bring the cookie dough to room temperature and then continue on to baking in the instructions.
- Room temperature ingredients: It’s important that your butter and egg is at room temperature. They incorporate with the other ingredients so much better and will help your cookies stay tender and soft.
- Sprinkles: Add Christmas sprinkles to the gingerbread cookie dough to make these extra fun colorful.
leftovers & Storage
To-store: Store cookies at room temperature in an airtight container or large ziplock bag. They will stay fresh for 7 days. They will still be ok to eat after 7 days but they may start to get crumbly and stale.
To-freeze: Allow the baked cookies to cool completely. Place the cookie sheet in the freezer for 30 minutes to flash freeze or harden. Once hard, place the cookies in a large freezer bag or stack in an airtight container. Store for up to 3 months- when ready to serve, remove from the freezer to thaw until softened.
Make cookie dough ahead
Scoop the dough into balls and place in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or freeze up to three months. When ready to bake the cookies, thaw and roll in cinnamon sugar. Place them onto a baking sheet according to the directions. You will know the cookies are baked when the edges are slightly golden brown and a bit wrinkled.
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Gingerbread Snickerdoodles
Ingredients
For the Gingerbread Cookie Dough
- 3/4 cup salted butter softened at room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
- 1/2 cup light or dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup molasses unsulphured
- 1 whole large egg
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 2 cups all-purpose flour plus 3 tablespoons
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon cream of tarter
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- pinch ground cloves
For the Spiced Rolling Sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
To Make The Cookie Dough
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer or stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy for a few minutes. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- Add in molasses and beat until combined. Then add in egg and vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tarter and spices.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix until dough has formed. Be sure not to over-mix.
For the Cinnamon-Sugar Coating
- To make the sugar coating, mix together the sugar, cinnamon and ginger in a small bowl.
To Roll the Cookies
- Using a regular ice-cream scoop (equivalent to 1/4 cup) to scoop out cookie dough balls. Roll each dough ball into the sugar-cinnamon mixture. Thoroughly coat each ball.
- Place the coated balls on the prepared baking sheets, 2 ½ inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until just barley golden around the edges. They may look underbaked but they will bake more once they cool. Immediately sprinkle on remaining cinnamon sugar mixture onto the top of the cookies. This will make them extra delicious and loaded with sweet spiced flavor. Cool for several minutes on the baking sheets before moving to a cooling rack. Enjoy!
