Small, coin-sized spiced cookies with a cracked sugar shell and tender molasses center come together in under an hour. The dough combines all-purpose flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, molasses, butter, and cream of tartar, then bakes at 350°F for 8–10 minutes until the edges set while the centers stay soft.
This guide covers ingredient ratios, texture control, troubleshooting, and storage timelines so you can adjust the recipe for soft or crisp results with confidence.
The Small Cookie With a Big Name
Baked to roughly 1 to 2 inches in diameter, these cookies resemble old copper pennies scattered across a baking sheet. The comparison stuck, and the name traveled through generations of American and European holiday kitchens without much variation.
Their compact size changes how they bake. A smaller cookie sets faster, meaning the interior stays softer while the edges crisp just slightly. That ratio of tender center to thin crisp rim separates a proper ginger penny from a standard gingersnap, which runs closer to 3 inches across and bakes until fully brittle.
Holiday baking traditions in Germany, Scandinavia, and the American Midwest all feature small, spiced cookies of this type. The ginger penny sits at the intersection of those traditions: portable, stackable, and sturdy enough to ship in tins, which made it a favorite for care packages and cookie exchanges throughout the twentieth century.
Ginger Pennies vs. Gingersnaps vs. Molasses Cookies
Size alone does not explain the difference. The three cookies diverge in texture, leavening, and molasses concentration, which means swapping one recipe for another produces a noticeably different result on the plate.
| Feature | Ginger Pennies | Gingersnaps | Molasses Cookies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diameter | 1–2 inches | 2.5–3.5 inches | 2.5–3 inches |
| Texture | Tender, slightly crisp edge | Fully crisp, snappy | Soft, chewy center |
| Primary leavener | Baking soda + cream of tartar | Baking soda only | Baking soda |
| Molasses ratio | Moderate (about ¼ cup per 2 cups flour) | Low to moderate | High (up to ½ cup per 2 cups flour) |
| Sugar coating | Granulated sugar roll, cracked top | Granulated sugar roll | Optional; sometimes powdered sugar |
The Role of Cream of Tartar
This acidic salt is the quiet differentiator. Combined with baking soda, it creates a balanced acid-base reaction that lifts the dough gently without spreading it thin. Gingersnaps skip this ingredient entirely, relying on baking soda alone, which produces a wider, flatter cookie with more browning. The result is that snap-worthy brittleness.
For your ginger pennies, cream of tartar keeps the crumb cake-like and tender rather than glassy. Omit it and the cookies will spread more, brown faster, and lose that characteristic soft interior.
Molasses-to-Flour Ratio and Flavor Depth
Molasses does double duty: it sweetens and it colors. A higher molasses-to-flour ratio, as in a soft ginger cookies recipe, produces a darker, chewier cookie with a bittersweet edge. Ginger pennies use a moderate amount,enough for that deep amber color and warm flavor without overwhelming the spice blend or making the dough too wet to roll into neat balls.
Ingredients and Why Each One Matters
Every ingredient in this ginger pennies cookies recipe has a specific mechanical job. Understanding those jobs lets you troubleshoot and adjust without guesswork.
Full Ingredient List for One Standard Batch
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour – provides structure; spoon and level for accuracy
- ¾ cup granulated sugar – sweetens and contributes to the cracked sugar coating
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened – creates tenderness through fat coating the flour proteins
- ¼ cup molasses – adds color, moisture, and deep flavor; Grandma’s Molasses or a similar unsulfured variety works well
- 1 large egg – binds the dough and adds richness
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger – the backbone spice; McCormick or King Arthur Baking brand ground ginger delivers consistent heat
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon – rounds out the ginger’s sharpness
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves – adds warmth in the background
- 1 teaspoon baking soda – reacts with molasses and cream of tartar for lift
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar – balances the soda, controls spread
- ¼ teaspoon salt – sharpens every other flavor
- Additional granulated sugar – for rolling before baking
How Baking Soda and Molasses Interact
Molasses is acidic. When baking soda meets that acid, carbon dioxide bubbles form immediately, giving the dough its initial lift. This reaction also promotes Maillard browning, which is why molasses-based cookies develop that deep amber color faster than sugar-only doughs. Your oven temperature must account for this: too hot, and the sugars scorch before the center sets.
Butter Temperature and Spice Ratios
Butter at 65–68°F (cool but pliable) creams properly with sugar, trapping air that expands during baking. Melted butter eliminates those air pockets, producing a denser, flatter cookie. The spice ratio matters equally: too much ginger overwhelms the molasses, while too little leaves the cookie tasting like a plain sugar cookie with a brown color.
The 2:1:½ ratio of ginger to cinnamon to cloves keeps the profile warm without turning bitter. Use Land O’Lakes or another high-fat European-style butter for a slightly richer crumb. The extra fat coats more flour protein, reducing gluten development and keeping the cookie tender.
Step-by-Step Method From Dough to Oven
Technique determines texture more than any single ingredient. Follow this sequence closely, and the dough will behave predictably from bowl to baking sheet.
Creaming and Mixing
- Cream butter and sugar: Beat softened butter with ¾ cup granulated sugar on medium speed for 2–3 minutes until pale and fluffy. This step incorporates the air that gives the cookie its lift.
- Add molasses and egg: Beat in the molasses and egg until fully combined, about 30 seconds. The mixture will look glossy and slightly separated; that is normal.
- Combine dry ingredients: Whisk flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt in a separate bowl.
- Mix dry into wet: Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture on low speed. Stop as soon as no dry streaks remain. Overmixing develops gluten, which makes the cookies tough.
Chilling the Dough
Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 48 hours. Chilling solidifies the butter, which means the cookies hold their round shape longer in the oven before the fat melts and allows spread. Skipping this step is the most common cause of flat, over-spread ginger pennies.
Shaping and Baking
- Roll into balls: Scoop roughly 1 tablespoon of dough and roll into a smooth ball, about 1 inch in diameter.
- Coat in sugar: Roll each ball in granulated sugar until fully covered. This coating creates the signature cracked surface as the cookie expands in the oven.
- Arrange on sheet: Place balls 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. The small size means you can fit 12–15 per standard sheet.
- Bake: Place on the center rack at 350°F for 8–10 minutes. The cookies are done when the edges look set and the tops are cracked but the centers still appear slightly puffy. They firm up as they cool.
Pull the cookies when they still look slightly underdone in the center. Residual heat finishes the job on the baking sheet, and overbaking is the fastest path to a hard, dry cookie.
Dialing In Texture: Soft-Chewy or Crisp
The same dough can produce two distinct results depending on three variables: bake time, molasses type, and sugar ratio. Adjust one variable at a time so you can identify what changed.
| Desired Result | Bake Time | Molasses Type | Sugar Adjustment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soft and chewy | 8 minutes (centers still puffy) | Light or mild molasses | Reduce granulated sugar by 2 tablespoons |
| Balanced (tender center, crisp edge) | 9–10 minutes | Unsulphured medium molasses | Standard ¾ cup |
| Crisp throughout | 11–12 minutes | Dark or robust molasses | Add 1 tablespoon granulated sugar |
Troubleshooting Common Failures
- Cookies spread too thin: Butter was too warm during creaming, or the dough skipped the chill step. Next batch: use cooler butter and chill at least 2 hours.
- Cookies turned out hard: Overbaked by even 1–2 minutes, or too much flour was packed into the measuring cup. Spoon flour into the cup and level with a knife.
- No cracks on top: The sugar coating was too thin, or the oven temperature ran low. Verify oven accuracy with a standalone thermometer; a 25°F discrepancy prevents proper expansion.
- Cookies taste bitter: Dark molasses or too much ground ginger. Switch to a milder molasses or reduce ginger by ½ teaspoon.
- Uneven browning: The baking sheet sits too close to the oven floor. Move to the center rack and rotate the pan halfway through.
Oven Calibration and Dough Temperature
Most home ovens run 15–30°F off from the dial setting. A $10 oven thermometer solves this instantly. Dough temperature matters just as much: dough straight from the refrigerator spreads less than dough that has sat at room temperature for 20 minutes. For chewy ginger cookies from scratch, keep the dough cold and the oven accurate.
Storage, Freezing, and Make-Ahead Options
Molasses is hygroscopic, meaning it pulls moisture from the air. That property keeps ginger pennies softer longer than butter-only cookies, but it also means storage method matters for maintaining the texture you baked in.
Airtight Container Timelines
At room temperature, baked ginger pennies stay tender for 5–7 days when sealed properly. Place a slice of bread in the container to add ambient moisture and extend softness by another day or two. Beyond a week, the cookies gradually dry out, though they remain safe to eat for up to two weeks.
Freezing Dough vs. Baked Cookies
- Dough balls (unbaked): Roll and sugar-coat the balls, then freeze on a parchment-lined tray until solid (about 2 hours). Transfer to a freezer bag. Bake directly from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the bake time. Dough keeps well for up to 3 months.
- Baked cookies: Cool completely, then layer between sheets of parchment in a freezer-safe container. Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes. Quality holds for 2–3 months.
Freezing dough balls is the better option for texture. The ice crystals that form during freezing slightly disrupt the crumb structure of baked cookies, making them marginally drier after thawing. Raw dough avoids that problem entirely.
Substitutions for Dietary Needs
A 1:1 gluten-free flour blend (such as King Arthur Baking Measure for Measure) works in this recipe without other adjustments, though the cookies may spread slightly more. For reduced sugar, replace up to one-third of the granulated sugar with an equal amount of coconut sugar; the molasses already provides enough sweetness to compensate.
Avoid liquid sweeteners like honey as a molasses substitute. They add too much moisture and prevent the dough from holding its shape during rolling and baking.
Putting It Together
The single most important variable in this ginger pennies cookies recipe is temperature control: cool butter during creaming, a full chill in the refrigerator, and an accurately calibrated oven. Master those three points and every other adjustment, from spice ratio to bake time, becomes predictable.
Small cookies forgive small mistakes, but they reward precision with that balance of cracked sugar shell, tender spiced center, and deep molasses warmth.
FAQ
What makes ginger cookies chewy instead of crispy?
Chewiness comes from higher moisture retention. Pull the cookies 1–2 minutes early while centers look puffy, use light molasses instead of dark, and slightly reduce the granulated sugar. The molasses holds water inside the crumb as the cookie cools.
Can I substitute fresh ginger for ground ginger in cookies?
Fresh ginger adds a sharper, more vegetal heat and introduces extra moisture. To try it, use 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger for every 2 teaspoons of ground ginger called for, and reduce the molasses by 1 teaspoon to compensate for the added liquid.
Why do my ginger cookies spread too much?
The two most common causes are butter that was too soft during creaming and insufficient chilling time. Butter above 70°F melts too quickly in the oven, releasing the dough’s structure before it sets. Chill the dough at least 1 hour and keep butter cool but pliable.
How long do ginger cookies stay fresh?
In an airtight container at room temperature, ginger pennies stay tender for 5–7 days. The molasses content helps retain moisture longer than plain sugar cookies. For longer storage, freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months or raw dough balls for the same duration.
What is the difference between ginger snaps and ginger pennies?
Ginger snaps are larger (2.5–3.5 inches), bake longer until fully crisp, and use baking soda alone as a leavener. Ginger pennies are smaller (1–2 inches), stay tender inside, and use cream of tartar alongside baking soda to limit spread and keep the crumb soft.
Can I freeze ginger cookie dough?
Yes. Shape the dough into balls, roll in sugar, freeze on a tray until solid, then transfer to a sealed bag. Bake straight from frozen at 350°F for 10–12 minutes. The dough holds quality for up to 3 months without noticeable flavor loss.
