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National Gingersnap Day

Food · July 1

A page about gingersnaps, the crisp, spiced cookies made with ground ginger and molasses, and simple ways to bake, share and enjoy them.

National Gingersnap Day falls on Thursday, July 1, 2027. That is 247 days away.

Gingersnaps are thin, crisp cookies flavored with ground ginger, usually with molasses for sweetness and color. Many recipes add cinnamon, cloves or a little black pepper, which gives them a warmth that builds after the first bite.

The name fits the texture. A good gingersnap breaks cleanly with a small crack instead of bending. Some bakers prefer a softer, chewier cookie with crackled tops, often rolled in sugar before baking, and both styles have loyal fans. The crisp kind keeps well in a tin, which is part of why it shows up in lunch boxes and cookie jars.

They are also a useful pantry ingredient. Crushed gingersnaps make a spiced crust for cheesecake or pie, and broken pieces are good stirred into whipped cream or scattered over ice cream. Dunking one in coffee, tea or a glass of cold milk softens the snap just enough.

Baking a batch at home is the usual way to mark the day. The dough comes together with pantry staples, but it contains raw egg and flour, so bake it fully and resist tasting it before it goes in the oven. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for a few minutes, because they crisp as they cool, and a cookie that seems soft in the oven may be just right on the rack.

Ways to celebrate

• Bake a batch of gingersnaps and compare crisp and chewy versions.
• Crush gingersnaps into a crust for a simple cheesecake or pie.
• Dunk a gingersnap in tea, coffee or cold milk.
• Share a tin of homemade gingersnaps with a neighbor.
• Try adding a pinch of black pepper to your usual recipe.

Dates

All national days on July 1

Also on July 1

• National Creative Ice Cream Flavors Day
• International Joke Day
• National Postal Workers Day
• ZIP Code Day

Categories: Food days