These ginger snap biscuits have soft centres and crispy edges and are packed full of spices making them the perfect companion to a cup of tea and even better enjoyed around Christmas time.
There is just something super festive about spiced baked goods around Christmas. While in Australia we enjoy our warmest time of the year over December, it doesn’t mean that we should miss out on the flavours of ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon that are more traditionally associated with the cozy fall and winter months in the northern hemisphere. And while I think these flavours should be enjoyed year round, what better way to enjoy them than within a traditional Christmas cookie!
I love baking with spices, such as in this chai spiced tea cake which is still one of my favourite cakes, maybe ever. And we have already explored sweet spiced cookies with these easy snickerdoodles. But today, we are going classic with ginger snaps.
Lately on the blog I have gone back to childhood favourite recipes. The ones that remind me where my passion for baking comes from. I don’t have a story that comes to mind when I think about ginger snaps but I feel a sort of nostalgia when I taste the flavours that seem to transport me straight back to my childhood.
Cooking and baking around Christmas time to me is a very sentimental process. It is the kind of activity that allows us to follow traditions and evoke particular memories simply through different smells. Food can be a very powerful tool in bringing together family and for me my favourite memories of Christmas all involve preparing the food rather than sitting down to eat it – although that still has its place.
Ginger snaps are such a classic recipe, and one that probably most people have a recipe for hiding somewhere in their family. With a rich molasses flavour and warm spices, these biscuits are best baked just long enough so the outside is crispy but the middle remains soft. The biscuits form a perfect crackle on the top as they bake and if you want to level up, enjoy them dunked in your cup of tea. So. Good.
Now ginger snap biscuits get their name from the ‘snap’ the traditionally thin, crisp biscuit makes when you break it in half. My preference for biscuits is always more towards the soft and chewy vs the hard and crisp so that’s what this recipe is. Soft centres and crispy edges is what I call balance when it comes to my ginger snap biscuits! But if you prefer a harder, crunchier biscuit, just let them bake a few minutes longer. Remember they will continue to firm up as they cool, so don’t leave them in the oven too much longer – another 3-5 mins is plenty.
These biscuits are pretty simple and make great gifts or plates to bring to friends and family or even work morning teas. Everyone knows the classic ginger snap biscuit and homemade always feels a little more special around the holiday time.
If you do make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and rating below! And tag any of your creations on Instagram with #eightforestlane as I would love to see.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (185 grams) dairy-free spread*
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup molasses
- 2 cups plain flour
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- sugar, extra for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, using an electric stand or hand held mixer, beat the dairy-free spread* and the sugar until creamy. Add in egg then molasses and continue mixing.
- In a separate bowl, sift flour, spices, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Add dry ingredients to the wet bit by bit, mixing in between until the mixture forms a soft dough. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides and make sure everything is combined.
- Using a spoon, scoop out small amounts of dough and roll into 1 inch diameter balls between your hands. Roll each ball in extra sugar, and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet to allow for spreading.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until the tops are cracked and let cool on the tray so the biscuits firm up before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Store biscuits in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Notes
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
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