Sourdough Gingersnap Cookies
November 23, 2025
⭐️ My Mother’s Favorite Gingersnaps
A simple beloved cookie my mother absolutely loved, now glowing with a cozy sourdough twist.
These sourdough gingersnap cookies are everything I love about a classic snap. Crisp edges. Warm spices. A soft little crackle on top. The sourdough discard adds a gentle depth that makes them feel even more nostalgic, the kind of cookie you want to enjoy slowly with a cup of coffee on a chilly morning.
There is also a little thread of family tucked into these. My mom loved gingersnaps in her own quiet way, and my grandma baked with molasses through the Great Depression, turning simple ingredients into something warm and comforting. Maybe that is why this cookie feels old-fashioned and well-loved. Something simple. Something steady. Something that carries a memory without even trying.
Some recipes travel through generations without needing to be written down. They live in memory and in the quiet comforts we reach for when we miss the people who loved us first.
Bringing them into my kitchen with a sourdough twist feels like honoring both of them and creating something new at the same time. The first time I added sourdough discard, the cookies baked up soft and chewy with sparkly crackled tops and a warm depth that wrapped around the ginger like a little hug.
They taste like memory.
They taste like comfort.
They taste like something my mom would have tucked away for herself.
If you enjoy the story behind a recipe as much as the recipe itself, the full memory is here:
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🥰 Why You’ll Love These Sourdough Gingersnap Cookies
🍪 Sourdough Discard
Soft chewy center with a cozy, warm depth.
✨ Molasses Glow
Rich, dark, old-fashioned flavor in every bite.
🌿 Warm Spices
Ginger and cinnamon for that classic holiday comfort.
🍬 Sparkly Sugar Tops
Crackly, sparkly, lightly crisp.
🧈 Soft Buttery Texture
Tender middle, crisp edges, melts-in-your-mouth good.
💛 A Memory in Every Bite
From the soft chew to the warm spice, these taste like comfort, nostalgia, and a little bit of the love my mom tucked away in her closet.
And then there is that moment.
Warm cookies on the tray
Molasses in the air
Sugar crackling as they cool
A cozy scent that fills the whole house with something familiar and beautiful
✨ Baker’s Tease
This little gingersnap may look unassuming, but it has a few sweet tricks that make it extra special. The sourdough gives it that soft warm chew, the sugar coating creates those sparkly crackles, and the spice blend just glows.
Here are a few fun ways to make these sourdough ginersnap cookies feel even more magical:
✨ A tiny pinch of cardamom
It’s not enough to taste “cardamom,” but it warms up the ginger and molasses in the dreamiest way.
✨ Fresh ginger if you want a little pop
Just a teaspoon grated right into the dough wakes the whole cookie up.
✨ Orange zest… oh my goodness
Rub a teaspoon of zest into your sugar before creaming.
It brightens the molasses and tastes like cozy holiday sunshine.
✨ Sparkle sugar for crunch
Mix granulated sugar with a little turbinado and roll the dough in it.
The texture is unreal.
✨ A little chill goes a long way
Even 20 minutes in the fridge helps the cookies crackle and stay thick.
✨ Bake one test cookie
It tells you everything. Spread, bake time, texture.
Your little safety net.
It’s all easy little magic. The kind of tips that turn a good cookie into the one people ask for every year.
📦 How to Store These Gingersnaps
Store at Room Temperature
Keep cookies in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
They stay soft and chewy thanks to the sourdough and molasses.
Pro tip:
Add a small piece of bread or a marshmallow to the container.
It keeps the cookies even softer, just like bakery magic.
❄️ Freeze the Cookie Dough
This is my favorite way, you get fresh, warm cookies anytime.
How to Freeze the Dough
- Scoop dough into 1-inch balls.
- Roll in sugar.
- Flash freeze on a sheet pan for 30 to 60 minutes.
- Transfer to a freezer bag or an airtight container.
- Freeze up to 2 months.
- Bake From Frozen
Bake at 350°F for 12 to 14 minutes.
No thawing. No stress. Perfect crackles every time.
❄️ Freeze the Baked Cookies
If you have already baked them and want to freeze:
- Let cookies cool completely.
- Place in a single layer in a freezer-safe container.
- Add parchment between layers.
- Freeze up to 2 months.
Thawing
- Let sit at room temp 20 to 30 minutes or…
- Warm in a 300°F oven for 3 to 4 minutes for that soft fresh-baked vibe.
Looking for more comforting, flavor-packed meals? Check out our [other recipes here]!
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Ingredients
Adjust Servings
| 170 g butter (12 tablespoons) | |
| 150 g sugar for softer chewy cookies 200 g for more snap and crisp edges (150 g = 3/4 cup, 200 g = 1 cup) | |
| 1 egg | |
| 75 g sourdough discard (approximately 1/3 cup) | |
| 170 g molasses (8 tablespoons / 1/2 cup) | |
| 1 tsp vanilla paste | |
| 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon mexican vanilla | |
| 260 g all purpose flour | |
| 2 tsp baking soda | |
| 2 tsp ground ginger | |
| 1 tsp cinnamon | |
| ½ teaspoon salt |
Granulated + Turbinado sugar (for coating)
Nutritional Information
Directions
Cream the Butter and Sugars
Add the Egg
Add Sourdough and Molasses
Whisk Dry Ingredients
Combine Wet and Dry
Chill the Dough
Scoop and Roll
Bake
Finish and Cool
Enjoy
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