The History of Gingerbread Cookies
From frosted gingerbread houses to crispy gingersnaps to soft and chewy ginger cookies, delightfully ginger spiced treats are an iconic part of any winter holiday dessert spread. But did you know they have a history going back as far as 2400 BCE, when the first known gingerbread recipe was recorded in ancient Greece? Ginger, first cultivated in China, has long been used for medicinal purposes and is still used today to calm upset stomachs. Early gingerbread recipes combined ginger root with breadcrumbs, ground almonds, rose water, and sugar. Decorated ginger cookies became popular under the rule of Queen Elizabeth I, who served gingerbread designed to look like visiting dignitaries. Soon, countries throughout Europe celebrated gingerbread at dedicated festivals, where gingerbread was shaped into figures and decorated with gold leaf to tell stories. It even comes up in Shakespeare’s play Love’s Labour’s Lost: “An I had but one penny in the world, thou shouldst have it to buy gingerbread.” Gingerbread houses became popular in 16th century Germany around the same time the Brothers Grimm wrote the story of Hansel and Gretel, who found a house made entirely of sweets. It’s unclear if the fairytale inspired the baked good or the other way around, but in any case, gingerbread houses have become a beloved tradition.
Cookbook Showdown: Best Ginger Cookie Recipes
I set out to find four gingerbread cookie recipes, but it turns out that the definition of “gingerbread” is somewhat broad. It can mean the cookies iced and decorated to look like people and houses, or it can be a broader term for chewy ginger cookies, crispy gingersnaps, and even a gingery bread-like loaf. For this showdown, I made a variety of ginger cookies from popular cookbooks, including two soft cookies rolled in coarse sugar, one gingersnap recipe, and one gingerbread recipe decorated with powdered sugar. Let’s get started.
The Process
This was a really approachable and easy to follow cookie recipe. The dough itself was sticky and moist, which made it a bit messy to shape and roll in sugar. For flavor, Saffitz’s recipe calls for ground ginger, allspice, cloves, kosher salt, and black pepper, plus a hearty helping of molasses. The recipe directs bakers to refrigerate the dough after mixing and again after shaping, and includes an option to refrigerate or freeze the dough for baking at a later date. The baked cookies are wonderful, soft, spicy perfection. I absolutely love the chewy texture, crunchy demerara sugar, and complex flavor of these cookies. I tasted the dough ahead of time and was a bit concerned that it was so savory, but when covered in coarse sugar, they’re just the right level of sweet, salty, and spicy.
Claire Saffitz Cookie Scores
Taste: 5/5 — These are richly flavored and strike the perfect salty/sweet note. Texture: 5/5 — They are perfectly soft and chewy, and they kept their great texture days after baking. Appearance: 4/5 — It may not be the most decorative cookie you’ve ever seen, but I don’t think I’ve ever made anything that looked so close to the photo in the cookbook. Difficulty: Easy — Definitely a great recipe for all skill levels, although the moist, sticky dough makes them a bit messy.
The Process
These cookies are very similar in process and dry ingredients to the cookies I made from Claire Saffitz’s cookbook. However, they pack a punch of ginger flavor with dried ground ginger, fresh grated ginger, and crystallized ginger. Other flavorful ingredients include allspice, cloves, cinnamon, kosher salt, and black pepper. When reading the recipe, I’ll be honest: I was totally convinced that mixing the dough and putting them straight in the oven would make for flat, ugly cookies that spread out too much. My heart told me to refrigerate the dough before baking for a cake-like cookie. But in the end, these turned out perfectly without refrigeration. They’re light, soft, and full of ginger flavor, particularly thanks to the chunks of crystallized ginger. I took one bite and thought, “This is exactly what I want gingerbread to taste like.”
Vallery Lomas Cookie Scores
Taste: 5/5 — With ground ginger, fresh ginger, and crystallized ginger, the flavor really shines. Texture: 5/5 — They’re pillowy soft cake-like cookies with chewy pieces of crystallized ginger mixed throughout. Appearance: 5/5 — These also turned out just like the picture, and the thicker shape would look lovely on a holiday cookie tray. Difficulty: Easy — This is a great recipe for bakers of all skill levels.
The Process
This is the only recipe I tried that aspires to have that audible “snap” that gives gingersnaps their name. It also includes cocoa for a chocolatey flavor, orange zest, fresh and ground ginger, and cinnamon. It’s an egg-free recipe, calling for flax egg (a combination of water and ground flaxseed) instead. The cookies did achieve a crunchy, snappy texture after fully cooling. The orange zest gives it a nice balance, and the large amount of ground ginger (2 tablespoons, compared to around 2 teaspoons in other recipes) gave it an extra spicy flavor, one that can be a good or bad thing depending on your preferences.
Jerrelle Guy Cookie Scores
Taste: 4/5 — This may be just me, but I don’t think ginger cookies need cocoa, and the large amount of ground ginger overwhelmed some of the more delicate flavors. But still good cookies! Texture: 5/5 — If you’re looking for a gingersnap that really snaps, this crunchy cookie is perfect. Appearance: 4/5 — They’re a little rough around the edges, but still a perfectly lovely cookie. Difficulty: Medium — These are still pretty simple to make, but the flax egg is a technique that may not be familiar to all home bakers.
The Process
This is the only recipe I tried that was rolled out and cut into shapes instead of baked as balls covered in coarse sugar. The recipe called for a star-shaped cookie cutter, but I used the closest shape I had on hand, a puppy paw cookie cutter. (Sometimes you’ve got to work with what you’ve got, right?) As for ingredients, it calls for ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and dried dates. This recipe is even more notable for what’s missing compared to the other cookies I tried. They don’t include any molasses, instead calling for honey, and also don’t include any salt. The dough rolled out nicely and kept its shape well while baking. They have a nice, smooth texture similar to a sugar cookie, and the dates add a nice chew. Overall, they’re a bit bland compared to the other cookies, but they’re very pleasant to eat, especially with coffee or tea.
Miisa Mink Cookie Scores
Taste: 3.5/5 — I like the dates, but overall, these are a bit bland. They could definitely use more ginger and salt. Texture: 5/5 — They’re right in the middle of soft and firm, and would probably hold up well to being frosted and decorated. Appearance: 5/5 — They held their shape well while baking, and while the recipe simply calls for dusting with powdered sugar, I think they would be a great base for frosting and sprinkles. Difficulty: Easy — This is a great recipe for beginners interested in making shaped cookies.
The Results
In all honesty, every one of these cookies turned out great. I had a small taste testing audience made up of neighbors and friends, and each recipe ended up being someone’s favorite. All four were easy to make and are perfect for bakers of all skill levels. It’s very challenging to pick an actual winner, as it’s really a matter of taste. If you like chewy, salty/sweet cookies, Clarie Saffitz’s “Chewy Molasses Cookies” are for you. If you prefer cake-like cookies with a strong ginger flavor, you’ll love Vallery Lomas’s “Gingerbread Cookies.” If you prefer a ginger cookie with a firm snap and love chocolate, Jerrelle Guy’s “Cocoa Gingersnap Cookies” are definitely your winner. And if you want smooth gingerbread perfect for decorating, Miisa Mink’s “Gingerbread Cookies with Dates” can’t be beat. So how to choose a winner? I took my taste testers’ comments into consideration. I also tried the cookies fresh and after a couple of days to see how they withstood the test of time. And ultimately, I went with my gut, which absolutely adored these winning ginger cookies.
The Winner: Vallery Lomas’s “Gingerbread Cookies”
It was a very close race, but when it comes to delicious ginger flavor, Vallery Lomas’s “Gingerbread Cookies” from Life is What You Bake It came out on top. With a perfectly soft cake-like texture and bright flavors from ground, fresh, and crystallized ginger, these cookies are sure to delight a wide audience of gingerbread lovers. Thanks for reading! Check out more Cookbook Showdowns below to find your new favorite recipes: Cookbook Showdown: Hot ChocolateCookbook Showdown: Pumpkin PieCookbook Showdown: Buttermilk BiscuitsCookbook Showdown: HummusCookbook Showdown: Apple PieCookbook Showdown: Sourdough
