Description
Alton Brown’s ginger snaps deliver a crisp, spicy cookie with complex layers of flavor. Molasses and ginger create an irresistible treat that connects home bakers with classic baking traditions.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup plus 2 tbsps (225 g) dark brown sugar
- 10 tbsps (142 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 oz (85 g) molasses, about 4 tbsps
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 ¾ cup (220 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
- 4 oz (115 g) finely chopped candied ginger, about ¾ cup
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- ½ tsp ground cloves
Instructions
- Prepare Workspace: Calibrate oven to 350°F and strategically line two half-sheet pans with parchment paper for optimal cookie distribution.
- Craft Spice Blend: Whisk together flour, baking soda, black pepper, ginger, cardamom, cloves, and salt in a medium bowl, ensuring uniform spice integration.
- Create Butter Base: Utilize stand mixer with paddle attachment to cream brown sugar and butter, transforming mixture into a light, airy texture with delicate pale undertones.
- Merge Wet Ingredients: Introduce egg, freshly grated ginger, and molasses into creamed mixture, blending on medium speed until seamlessly incorporated.
- Compose Dough: Reduce mixer speed, fold in candied ginger fragments, then gradually introduce dry ingredient mixture until cohesive dough emerges.
- Shape and Position: Deploy a 2-teaspoon cookie scoop to portion dough onto prepared sheets, maintaining 2-inch intervals to accommodate cookie expansion.
- Bake and Rotate: Position pans centrally in oven, rotating midway through cooking process. Aim for 10-12 minutes, adjusting duration for desired chewiness or crispness.
- Cool and Transition: Allow cookies to stabilize on baking sheet for 30 seconds, then delicately transfer to wire cooling rack using a flexible spatula.
- Complete Batch: Repeat baking sequence with remaining dough, maximizing each prepared sheet approximately twice to conclude cookie production.
Notes
- Spice Balance: Precisely measure ground spices to ensure the perfect harmony of ginger, black pepper, cardamom, and cloves without overpowering the cookie’s delicate flavor.
- Butter Temperature: Use room temperature butter for optimal creaming, creating a light and fluffy base that guarantees tender, melt-in-your-mouth cookies.
- Ginger Intensity: Freshly grated ginger adds a vibrant, zesty kick that elevates the traditional ginger snap flavor profile beyond typical store-bought versions.
- Baking Precision: Watch cookies closely during the last few minutes of baking; the difference between chewy and crispy textures depends on just 2 minutes of oven time.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg