Chewy Browned Butter Gingersnaps

I love gingersnaps and I saw these browned butter gingersnaps and was immediately sold. I suppose these are more of a Christmas cookie, but I don’t care. I could eat this type of cookie all year around.

They do take a touch more effort because you have to brown the butter, allow it to cool, make the dough, and refrigerate it, but not too bad. I’ve found lately with my super busy schedule that being able to make the dough one night and baking the next has worked very well.

I’ve made several things with browned butter, and the trick is that you have to pay attention. I was using this Amish butter (amazing what you can find at the grocery store), which seemed to have more milk solids than other butter. This made for lots of nice little browned bits. I didn’t think it had quite browned but I figured it was close enough. I was glad that I had stopped the cooking when I did because I think just 30 seconds more might have been too much.

I ended up baking these in my microwave/convection oven, as my regular oven was in desperate need of a good cleaning. That works ok, but I can only bake 7 cookies at a time so it just takes a little longer. I worry that the convection oven tends to dry things out, but these cookies came out of the oven picture perfect. I did have to watch from batch to batch, as the convection oven isn’t quite as consistent, but it’s really wonderful to have an alternative when I need one!

Chewy Browned Butter Gingersnaps

6 ounces butter

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1/4 cup molasses

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

2 2/3 cup flour

2 1/4 teaspoons ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Additional sugar

Brown the butter: heat the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Once the butter has melted, continue to cook, swirling the pan frequently, until the butter turns a light shade of brown and smells nutty. Do watch the mixture carefully, butter can go from melted to horribly burnt in a matter of moments. Transfer the browned butter to a bowl and refrigerate until it solidifies a bit, to the firmness of room temperature butter.

Once the butter has cooled, transfer it to a large mixer bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar and mix on medium until light. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the molasses and lemon zest and beat on medium until combined.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer running on low, gradually stir in the flour mixture. Mix just until the flour is incorporated into the dough; do not over mix.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour (or overnight).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats.

Shape the dough into 1-1/4” balls and roll the balls in sugar. Place on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 9-10 minutes, until lightly golden. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe from Baker by Nature