There’s something magical about the cozy spices and soft chewiness that make the Gingerbread Snickerdoodles Recipe an absolute winter favorite. These cookies combine classic snickerdoodle charm with all the festive warmth of gingerbread, making them a true delight to bake and share.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
I remember the first time I made this Gingerbread Snickerdoodles Recipe; the house instantly smelled like a holiday dream come true. Beyond the heavenly aroma, what really won me over is how perfectly these cookies balance spices with that soft, slightly crisp edge I crave.
- Perfect Texture: Soft and chewy centers meet slightly crisp edges for an ideal bite every time.
- Festive Flavors: The gingerbread spices are accentuated with cinnamon sugar for a cozy and inviting taste.
- Fun to Make: Two doughs come together for a layered cookie experience that’s as charming as it is delicious.
- Make Ahead Friendly: Chill the dough overnight for convenience and even better flavor development.
Ingredients & Why They Work
Each ingredient has a role in creating the Gingerbread Snickerdoodles Recipe’s warm, comforting taste and satisfying texture. From the molasses-rich gingerbread dough to the browned butter in the snickerdoodle, these flavors work in harmony.
- All-purpose flour: Provides structure but measuring it correctly matters — fluff it up before spooning!
- Baking soda: Gives that subtle lift and tender crumb without overpowering the spices.
- Fine sea salt: Balances sweetness and enhances the complex flavors of the spices.
- Gingerbread spice: A blend that brings warmth and holiday cheer — homemade or store-bought works great.
- Unsalted butter: Room temperature for creaming in dough, browned for nutty richness in the snickerdoodles.
- Brown sugar: Adds moisture and depth with its molasses content.
- Molasses: The star ingredient in gingerbread — it’s what gives these cookies their signature rich flavor.
- Eggs: Provide structure and richness; the recipe uses whole eggs and egg yolks for tenderness.
- Vanilla extract or paste: Enhances sweetness and complements the spices beautifully.
- Cream of tartar & baking powder: Classic snickerdoodle leavening agents to keep cookies tender and perfectly puffy.
- Granulated sugar & spiced sugar: For that signature snickerdoodle crackly crust dusted with warming gingerbread spice.
Make It Your Way
While I adore this recipe as is, it’s wonderfully flexible if you want to tweak it a bit! I often swap in pumpkin spice for the gingerbread spice for a twist, depending on the season.
- Spice Variation: When I added just a pinch of cayenne pepper alongside the gingerbread spice, it gave a surprising and delightful little kick that my family loved.
- Dietary Modifications: I’ve tried using coconut sugar instead of brown sugar for a slight caramel flavor, and it worked well but the texture was a touch different — still delicious!
- Size Adjustment: Feel free to use smaller or larger cookie cutters, just keep in mind the baking time may shift accordingly.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Gingerbread Snickerdoodles Recipe
Step 1: Prep the Gingerbread Dough and Let It Chill
Start by mixing your dry ingredients—flour, baking soda, salt, and gingerbread spice—in a small bowl. Then, cream together butter, brown sugar, and molasses until fluffy. Adding the egg and vanilla might curdle the mixture a bit, don’t worry—that’s totally normal! Finally, blend in the dry mix just until combined. Press the dough into a disc, wrap it up, and pop it in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours or overnight. Chilling is key—it makes rolling and cutting so much easier!
Step 2: Roll, Cut, and Chill the Gingerbread Shapes
Once chilled, roll the dough out thinly on a lightly floured surface. Use a gingerbread man cutter about 2.2 inches wide for the best results. Lay the cut shapes on a parchment-lined tray, cover, and chill again. This helps keep their shape when combined with the snickerdoodle dough later.
Step 3: Make the Gingerdoodle Dough with Browned Butter
This step is where the flavor gets really interesting. Cook your butter gently until it foams and turns a beautiful amber color — smelling that nutty aroma will make your kitchen feel like a bakery! Pour the browned butter into a large bowl, scrape every last bit, then stir in the gingerbread spice. Let it cool to room temp. Meanwhile, whisk together your dry ingredients for the snickerdoodle dough, then mix sugars and molasses into the cooled butter. Add eggs and vanilla, then fold in the dry mixture until just combined.
Step 4: Assemble Your Cookies & Chill Again
Combine spiced sugar in a small bowl for rolling. Scoop 3-tablespoon mounds of the dough, roll in the spiced sugar, and place on a parchment sheet. Gently press a gingerbread cutout cookie on top of each dough ball. Now, refrigerate the entire tray for 3-4 hours — patience here pays off in texture and flavor.
Step 5: Bake to Perfection
Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and bake 6-7 cookies per tray for 10-12 minutes. Don’t overbake—cookies should feel soft in the middle but slightly firm around edges. Once out of the oven, sprinkle more spiced sugar on top and cool on wire racks. I find this step adds a lovely extra crunch and sparkle!
Top Tip
After making this Gingerbread Snickerdoodles Recipe a few times, I’ve learned some insider tricks that really make the difference between “just okay” and “absolutely divine!” Here are my must-know tips to help YOU nail it every time.
- Flour Measurement Matters: I always spoon flour into my cup and level it off instead of scooping directly into the bag, which can pack flour too tightly and dry out dough.
- Brown Butter Patience: Let browned butter cool fully; adding it warm can scramble your eggs and affect cookie texture.
- Chill, Chill, Chill: Don’t rush the chilling steps — the dough firms up, flavors meld, and cookies hold their shape during baking.
- Watch Baking Time Closely: Times can vary by oven; I start checking at 10 minutes and pull cookies when edges look set but centers remain soft.
How to Serve Gingerbread Snickerdoodles Recipe
Garnishes
I love sprinkling a little extra spiced sugar right off the oven, which adds sparkle and an extra cozy cinnamon-ginger pop. Sometimes, a light drizzle of white chocolate or a dusting of powdered sugar makes these cookies feel extra special at gatherings.
Side Dishes
These cookies pair perfectly with a classic cup of hot cocoa, chai tea, or a creamy latte. If serving at a party, I like to set out a selection of nut butters and a fruit platter for a nice salty-sweet balance.
Creative Ways to Present
For holiday entertaining, I sometimes place the cookies on a rustic wooden board layered with evergreen sprigs and small cinnamon sticks. Wrapping them in cellophane with a pretty ribbon is a super cute gift idea, too.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
I store leftover baked Gingerbread Snickerdoodles in an airtight container at room temperature. They stay soft and flavorful for up to 4 days, but I’m rarely ever able to keep them that long!
Freezing
I’ve frozen both the dough and baked cookies with success. For dough, portion it into balls, wrap tightly, and freeze up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen, adding a minute or two as needed. For baked cookies, freeze between layers of parchment and thaw at room temperature before serving.
Reheating
To revive softer texture and that just-baked feel, I pop cookies in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes or microwave them lightly (no more than 15 seconds). This warming step really brings back the gentle chew and spice aroma.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes! Both doughs benefit from chilling overnight or up to 3 days. Chilling helps flavors develop and makes the dough easier to work with when rolling and shaping.
Use the spoon-and-level method for dry ingredients: fluff the flour, spoon it into a measuring cup, then level off with a knife. This prevents packing too much flour, which can dry out your cookies.
Molasses provides the signature deep flavor in gingerbread. If needed, you can substitute with dark corn syrup or honey, but the flavor won’t be quite as rich or traditional. I recommend using Grandma’s molasses for best results.
Browning the butter adds a toasty, nutty depth to the dough’s flavor that plain butter can’t match. It’s a small step that really elevates the cookies and complements the gingerbread spices beautifully.
Final Thoughts
This Gingerbread Snickerdoodles Recipe is one of my all-time favorites because it feels like a hug in cookie form — sweet, spicy, and utterly comforting. I’m so excited for you to try it and make it your own, sharing the warmth with friends and family near and far. Trust me, once you bake a batch, these cookies will become your seasonal staple too!
Print
Gingerbread Snickerdoodles Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 hours
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 10 hours 12 minutes
- Yield: 14 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Gingerbread Snickerdoodles combine the warm spices of traditional gingerbread with the soft, chewy texture of classic snickerdoodle cookies. Featuring a unique two-dough method — a spiced gingerbread cookie base topped with a buttery gingerdoodle dough rolled in gingerbread spiced sugar — these festive cookies are perfect for holiday celebrations or any time you want a seasonal treat.
Ingredients
Gingerbread Cookie Dough
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon gingerbread spice
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
- ⅓ cup unsulphured molasses
- ½ large egg, lightly beaten
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Gingerdoodle Cookie Dough
- 14 ½ tablespoons unsalted European butter
- 2 ½ teaspoons gingerbread spice
- 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons cream of tartar
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon light brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup unsulphured Grandma's molasses
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla paste or extract
Gingerbread Spiced Sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon gingerbread spice
Instructions
- Make the Gingerbread Cookie Dough: In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and gingerbread spice and set aside. In a stand mixer bowl, cream the unsalted butter, brown sugar, and molasses on medium speed for 2 minutes until fluffy. Mix in the half beaten egg and vanilla until combined, scraping down the bowl as needed even if the mixture looks a bit curdled. Add the flour mixture on low speed and combine just until incorporated. Wrap the dough loosely in plastic wrap and flatten into a disc using a rolling pin. Refrigerate for a minimum of 3-4 hours or up to 3 days.
- Roll and Cut Gingerbread Cookies: After chilling, roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to ¼ inch thickness. Use a gingerbread cookie cutter approximately 2.2 inches in size to cut out cookies. Reroll the scraps twice more, chilling again between rolls. Transfer gingerbread cutouts to parchment-lined baking trays, cover, and refrigerate until needed.
- Make the Gingerdoodle Dough: In a stainless steel pan over medium heat, cook the European butter until it foams, smells nutty, and the bottom is covered with amber brown milk solids. Remove from heat and pour the browned butter into a large bowl, scraping the pan well to include all browned bits. Stir in the gingerbread spice and let cool to room temperature for about 45-60 minutes. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Combine Dough Ingredients: Whisk the granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and molasses into the cooled browned butter. Add the large egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and whisk until combined. Fold in the dry flour mixture with a rubber spatula until just combined. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes to make it easier to scoop. If dough feels too sticky, add 1-2 tablespoons flour to reach a soft, scoopable consistency.
- Prepare Spiced Sugar and Chill Dough: Mix the granulated sugar and gingerbread spice in a small bowl. Using a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion the gingerdoodle dough and roll each ball in the spiced sugar. Place dough balls on parchment-lined baking trays and top each with one previously chilled gingerbread cookie. Cover the tray and refrigerate dough for a minimum of 3-4 hours.
- Bake the Cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper. Place cold dough balls on the trays spacing about 6-7 cookies per tray. Bake for 12 minutes until set. Immediately after baking, sprinkle cookies with more spiced sugar. Allow cookies to cool on the baking trays on wire racks before serving.
Notes
- Measure your dry ingredients using the spoon-level method or a kitchen scale to avoid dense cookies from too much flour.
- To measure the half egg, whisk a large egg then measure out 1 ½ tablespoons or 25-28 grams.
- If you choose not to make both doughs, baked gingerbread cookies can be pressed onto gingerdoodle cookies after baking but will be less soft.
- Using cutters smaller than 2 inches will result in smaller gingerbread shapes that won’t cover the cookie tops fully.
- Chilling dough thoroughly is essential for best texture and ease in handling.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 85 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
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