Crispy on the outside and rich with caramel flavor, these classic ginger brandy snaps are a holiday baking staple. You'll briefly cook the batter on the stove before baking, which creates that signature snap once they cool. Fresh ginger and a splash of brandy give them a warm, spiced profile that pairs perfectly with a hot cup of tea. They're delicate, elegant, and surprisingly fun to roll into their traditional cylinder shape.
Prep
15 min
Cook
1 hr 15 min
Total
1 hr 30 min
Servings
24
Course
Dessert
Ingredients
4 tbsp [55 g] unsalted butter
1 cup [100 g] firmly packed light brown sugar
1 / 4 cup [60 ml] light corn syrup
1 / 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 cup [140 g] sifted all-purpose flour
1 / 2 tsp brandy
Instructions
1Preheat the oven to 350°F [180°C] and lightly grease a baking sheet.
2Place a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat and add the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and fresh ginger. Stir the mixture occasionally for about 2 minutes until the butter and sugar melt completely.
3Take the saucepan off the heat. Stir in the sifted all-purpose flour and brandy until you have a medium-thick batter.
4Drop a heaping teaspoon of the batter onto the greased baking sheet. Use the back of your spoon to spread the batter out into a 3-inch [7.5 cm] circle.
5Space the cookies at least 2 inches [5 cm] apart. Only bake four cookies per batch so you have enough time to roll them while they're still hot.
6Bake in the center of the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, just until the edges begin to firm up.
7Working quickly, use a spatula to lift one hot cookie off the baking sheet. Wrap it tightly in a spiral around the round handle of a wooden spoon.
8Let the wrapped cookie cool on the handle for 20 seconds, then slide the shaped cylinder off the spoon and transfer it to a wire rack to finish cooling.
9If the remaining cookies on the baking sheet harden too much to roll, return the pan to the oven for 1 minute to soften them.
10Repeat the baking and rolling process with the remaining batter, applying more grease to the pan as needed.
Notes
Storage: Keep the completely cooled snaps in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Swap: If you prefer not to use brandy, substitute it with an equal amount of vanilla extract or water.
Batch size: Stick to baking four cookies at a time. The batter sets very quickly once removed from the oven, making larger batches difficult to roll.
Tip: Have your wooden spoon ready before the cookies come out of the oven so you can start rolling immediately.