Gingerbread Snickerdoodles
Super soft gingerbread snickerdoodles are subtly spiced and rolled in cinnamon sugar to give it a gooey center and a nice crisp edge.
Ending cookie week with a super festive gingerbread snickerdoodle! These cookies are just as easy to make as all of the other cookies I posted this week. I know they’re nothing elaborate but truth, ain’t nobody got time for fancy cookies ?. Regardless, they’re absolutely delicious, super easy and quick to make and are now a family favorite (Narcis ate THREE!).
How to make gingerbread snickerdoodles
Again, just like the small batch chocolate chip cookies, I used melted butter for the dough because no one wants to wait for the butter to be at the perfect room temperature. Whisk them with the sugar, add the vanilla and egg and then fold in the dry ingredients.
There is one extra step to these cookies though. Since the dough is so soft and I really wanted to roll them in cinnamon sugar, I did have to freeze the dough for JUST five minutes! So you’ll scoop the cookie dough into 10 scoops, freeze them on the cookie pan, preheat the oven and then remove them from the freezer, roll them in cinnamon sugar and bake.
whisk together the wet ingredients fold in the dry ingredients
Ingredients:
- Flour: I just used all-purpose flour for this recipe however, I HIGHLY recommend using a digital scale, as over-measuring the flour is the most common baking mistake and may result in dry cookies.
- Sugar: I’m going to spare you my whole rant on sugar lol… I used JUST dark brown sugar for these cookies and I don’t recommend substituting it. I didn’t want to add any extra molasses to get that classic “gingerbread” flavor so I just used the dark brown sugar.
- & then of course, granulated sugar for rolling.
- Butter: I LOVE using salted butter in cookies! I started doing this this year and it just seems more flavorful and it’s one less step since you don’t have to add extra salt. If you use unsalted butter, just add ¼ tsp salt to the batter with the flour too.
- Egg: I used one FULL large egg in this snickerdoodle recipe.
- Vanilla: Don’t underestimate the power of vanilla extract in a cookie recipe. I stopped putting vanilla in EVERYTHING that I make but for cookies it’s essential.
- Baking Powder: just baking powder, no baking soda.
- Spices: I used cinnamon and ginger and they’re pretty essential in gingerbread snickerdoodles if you ask me.
scoop the soft dough and freeze for 5 minutes roll in cinnamon sugar and bake
How to bake these cookies
I always bake in a convection oven but when I took some polls on instagram, most of you said you either don’t have one or you don’t know how to use your convection oven. So since I developed ALL my recipes in a 350F convection oven, I decided to experiment with a conventional.
If you don’t know the difference, a convection oven has a fan that circulates the heat more evenly. This usually results in a quicker bake, so always do less time if you’re unsure and it also gives a more even browning. If you’re not used to it, the change can be frustrating.
If you’re using a conventional (NO FAN) oven, I recommend baking these cookies at 325F (163C) for about 12 minutes instead of 350F (177C) for 10 minutes in a convection oven.
Of course, if you get more than 10 cookies then they’re smaller in size and you’ll have to bake less. If I separate the dough into 13 cookies, then I bake them for 8 minutes.
bake 6 per cookie sheet until the edge is set and the center is puffed
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I store unbaked cookie dough?
The cookie dough is pretty soft so you’ll want to scoop it out, roll it and then press it down just a little so it looks more like a disc than a ball. Then refrigerate it on a plate or tray until the cookie dough is more firm. Once they’re firm, place them in a ziplock bag and freeze. To bake, remove from the freezer as the oven is preheating and just add an additional 2-3 minutes to the bake time.
Can I make these vegan?
Unfortunately I haven’t had time to test this but I really wanted to get this recipe out to you all so when I do try it, I’ll certainly update it. If you try it, let me know!
Can I double the recipe to make a big batch of cookies?
You can! I double this recipe all the time and it makes 20 cookies.
Can I add add-ins?
You sure can, just fold them in at the end. Some fun add-ins that I recommend:
- 1 cup of nuts, any kind but roughly chopped
- 1 cup of chocolate chips, any kind
- 1 cup of mini marshmallow
If you have any other add-ins you’ve tried, let me know in the comment section.
How to store baked cookies
These gingerbread snickerdoodle cookies are actually really good the next day too. I mean most things are but these are just about as good as fresh! Just place them in a ziplock bag and keep them at room temperature for up to five days. They obviously will dry out a little more by day 5 but I just pop in the microwave for like 5-10 seconds before eating.
Thanks so much for reading today’s post , if you have any questions just comment down below, i’m happy to answer! If you make these gingerbread snickerdoodles, I would love to see them! Make sure to tag me @baranbakery on instagram and as always, have a blessed day and happy baking!
Love, B
My partner and I were craving something sweet but had nothing in the house, so I just whipped up a batch of these for the first time and they were delicious! Loved how quick and easy they are to make. Other than being super yum, they also have the most gorgeous, light, moreish texture. Might add a touch of nutmeg next time too!