Crispy Ginger Cookies
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Sugar, spice, and all things nice—these thin, crispy ginger cookies are what holiday dreams are made of.
These thin and crispy ginger cookies, a gem from pastry chef Emily Luchetti’s Stars Desserts, are truly something special. Featuring a spot-on mix of ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and a bit of black pepper, these cookies deliver a sweet, buttery crunch with just the right touch of chewiness in the middle. They are a treat any time of day (yes, even breakfast), and they fill the house with the most heavenly aroma as they bake. With their deep amber color and slightly crackled tops, they’re perfect for the holidays. Think of them as the more delicious cousins of gingerbread men, offering a rich taste and a delightful texture that traditional holiday cut-out cookies just can’t match.
“I absolutely LOVE these cookies! They are crispy around the edges, with a little soft chew in the middle. And the spices are just enough to be tasty without being overpowering.”
What You’ll Need To Make Crispy Ginger Cookies
- All-Purpose Flour: Forms the base of the cookie dough, providing structure and texture.
- Ground Ginger, Allspice, Cinnamon, Cloves and Pepper: Infuse the cookies with warm, aromatic flavors characteristic of ginger cookies. Pepper may sound unusual but it adds a delightful little kick that lingers on the palate.
- Baking Soda: Helps the cookies rise and spread, resulting in a crisp texture.
- Granulated and Light Brown Sugar: Sweeten the dough and contribute to the cookies’ crispiness and caramelization.
- Butter: Provides richness and moisture to the cookies, ensuring a tender crumb.
- Egg: Binds the ingredients together and adds structure to the dough.
- Molasses: Adds richness, depth of flavor, and chewiness characteristic of ginger cookies.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
In a medium or large bowl, combine the flour, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, salt, and pepper.
Whisk and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, combine the sugar and butter. ( Either a hand-held or stand mixer will work nicely.)
Beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Add the egg.
Beat for about 20 seconds, then scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the molasses.
Beat until just combined, then scrape down the sides of the bowl again.
Add the dry ingredients.
Mix on low speed until just incorporated. The dough will be very soft; refrigerate it for about one hour, or until firm enough to roll.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and set a rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the remaining ½ cup granulated sugar in a shallow bowl. Form the dough into 1-inch balls and roll in the sugar to coat. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until set and deeply golden on the outside and slightly soft on the inside. (As they bake, they will puff up and then flatten. Do not remove them from the oven until they are flat.)
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Refrigerate the dough between batches.
Make-Ahead, Freezing & Storage Instructions
The cookies will keep nicely for several days in an airtight container. To freeze the cookies before baking, scoop the dough into balls and roll in sugar, let set on a baking sheet in the freezer, then place in a sealable bag and press out as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months. Bake as needed directly from the freezer, allowing a few minutes longer in the oven. To freeze the cookies after baking, store the cooled cookies in an airtight container separating layers with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Before serving, remove the cookies from the container and let them come to room temperature.
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Crispy Ginger Cookies
Sugar, spice, and all things nice—these thin, crispy ginger cookies are what holiday dreams are made of.
Ingredients
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- Scant ¼ teaspoon salt
- Pinch freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened but still cool
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup molasses, such as Grandma's Original
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, beat ½ cup of the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and butter until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the egg and beat for about 20 seconds, then scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the molasses and beat until just combined, then scrape down the sides of the bowl again.
- Add the dry ingredients, then mix on low speed until just incorporated. The dough will be very soft; refrigerate it for about one hour, or until firm enough to roll.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set a rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the remaining ½ cup granulated sugar in a shallow bowl. Form the dough into 1-inch balls and roll in the sugar to coat. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until set and golden on the outside and slightly soft on the inside. (As they bake, they will puff up and then flatten. Do not remove them from the oven until they are flat.) Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Refrigerate the dough between batches. The cookies will keep for several days in an airtight container; freeze for longer storage.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: To freeze before baking, scoop the dough into balls and roll in sugar, let set on a baking sheet in the freezer, then place in a sealable bag and press out as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months. Bake as needed directly from the freezer, allowing a few minutes longer in the oven. To freeze the cookies after baking, store the cooled cookies in an airtight container separating layers with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Before serving, remove the cookies from the container and let them come to room temperature.
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 119
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Sugar: 11 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Sodium: 75 mg
- Cholesterol: 19 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Just whipped up a batch and in the fridge now. The batter is amazing. EXACTLY the flavor I look for a ginger cookie. Just the right amount of Molasses which can be overpowering to me in recipes. Thank you for sharing your amazing culinary talent so freely! I’ve made many recipes on your website and all of them are perfect. Move over Food Network and wading through so many chefs – you are IT for me!
I love Ginger cookies and this recipe is the one I usually use. However last year I found one that upped it a little bit. Instead of black pepper, , the recipe called for 1/2 tsp of Cayenne Pepper!! At first I thought ewwww, but they were delicious. The guys really liked them. So this year, I am going to use Jenn’s delicious recipe for the kids and the spicy (hot) one for the adults!
We made these cookies 3 times. We are in love with them!!!!
The first time we made them, they flattened and were crispy, the other 2 they were much thicker and softer. Any idea why? We can’t figure it out.
Hi Miri, It probably has to do with how long you chilled the dough: the cooler the dough, the thicker your cookies will be; the warmer the dough, the flatter your cookies will be. Hope that helps!
I just made these this evening for Christmas Eve. Thanks so much for an excellent recipe that came out perfect. The house smells awesome as well. Due to various reasons, there are very few gifts this year but I made these for my husband who is really enjoying them.
I only have whole allspice. Is that ok?
Yes, you’ll just have to finely grate it. Hope you enjoy the cookies!
if I dont add cloves will it affect recipe much
Hi Mirna, It’s fine to leave the cloves out.
Just a few questions:
1) Will they flatten as they bake
2) Are the cookies really crispy?
Yes and yes!
Best ginger cookies ever. I like that you can make the dough ahead and keep it refrigerated (for a few days even) –I’ve been following Once Upon a Chef for years. Her recipes are fantastic.
Awesome cookies. I make them every year and get rave reviews for them. Just the right amount of spice and bite for a ginger cookie. Yum! You can’t go wrong baking them.
They look and sound amazing but can’t make right now as I don’t have some of the spices. I wondered if you have tried them without so much butter (one cup is a lot!)..say 1/2 butter and 1/2 oil..with any success.
Also stem ginger and crystalized ginger are great for those who really want a very gingery cookie.
Thank you for this recipee Jenn.
Hi Patricia, They are wonderful cookies — I have even won a few holiday cookie contests with them! I haven’t tried substituting oil for some of the butter but wouldn’t recommend it. I’d worry they wouldn’t be as crisp and buttery.