# Ginger snaps vs molasses cookies - what's the difference? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 7, 2014, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ginger-snaps-vs-molasses-cookies-whats-the-difference/703997 "2014-11-07T17:27:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2014, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ginger-snaps-vs-molasses-cookies-whats-the-difference/703997/1 "2014-11-07T17:27:09Z")
The last time I made ginger snaps, my husband said they were good, but they tasted more like molasses cookies. Just now, in search of another ginger snap recipe, I compared the ones I found to molasses cookie recipes - they seem to be virtually the same! The only difference might be a quarter teaspoon of ginger. Am I missing something? Are they two names for the same thing? More importantly, does someone have a ginger snap recipe to share? ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2014, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ginger-snaps-vs-molasses-cookies-whats-the-difference/703997/2 "2014-11-07T17:34:17Z")
Do the molasses cookies have _no_ ginger or just _less_ ginger? In the former case, doesn’t the question kind of answer itself? But if it’s the latter, then beats me. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2014, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ginger-snaps-vs-molasses-cookies-whats-the-difference/703997/3 "2014-11-07T17:52:50Z")
In the recipes I’ve seen, the molasses cookies have ginger, but maybe a little less than in the ginger snap recipes. I didn’t do the math to figure percentages. But a quick summary of ingredients didn’t show any stark differences, hence my confusion. And my mom never made either, so I don’t have that as a point of reference to boot. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2014, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ginger-snaps-vs-molasses-cookies-whats-the-difference/703997/4 "2014-11-07T17:58:03Z")
In my experience american gingersnaps and molasses cookies are differentiated by whether they’re crisp or chewy. Gingersnaps snap and have a stronger spice bite. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2014, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ginger-snaps-vs-molasses-cookies-whats-the-difference/703997/5 "2014-11-07T18:12:13Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > In my experience american gingersnaps and molasses cookies are differentiated by whether they’re crisp or chewy. Gingersnaps snap and have a stronger spice bite. This is what I’d identify as the primary difference - crispy vs chewy. As far as flavor goes: Molasses cookies should really emphasize the molasses if they’re done right. There are other flavors present, including ginger, but they should be playing supporting roles. A ginger snap, on the other hand, had better deliver on the ginger as the primary flavor. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2014, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ginger-snaps-vs-molasses-cookies-whats-the-difference/703997/6 "2014-11-07T18:17:54Z")
[The Ultimate Ginger Snap](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=448060&highlight=ultimate+ginger) ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2014, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ginger-snaps-vs-molasses-cookies-whats-the-difference/703997/7 "2014-11-07T18:23:28Z")
Thanks, \*\*silenus \*\*- I’ve printed it out and I shall give it a try! ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2014, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ginger-snaps-vs-molasses-cookies-whats-the-difference/703997/8 "2014-11-07T18:36:23Z")
**gwendee** has been making these every year since I posted the recipe to [great acclaim](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=17760882&postcount=9). ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2014, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ginger-snaps-vs-molasses-cookies-whats-the-difference/703997/9 "2014-11-08T16:53:33Z")
Just finished a batch. The crisp is exactly what I was looking for, but my husband and I both thought the clove was overpowering. Next time, it’ll just be cinnamon and ginger. Meanwhile, I found another recipe that seems to have promise, so we shall see… ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ginger-snaps-vs-molasses-cookies-whats-the-difference/703997/10 "2014-11-12T03:32:25Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > Just finished a batch. The crisp is exactly what I was looking for, but my husband and I both thought the clove was overpowering. Next time, it’ll just be cinnamon and ginger… This is what I thought when I saw those quantities. Typo Knig once made a cake and threw in some spices and put in something like a half teaspoon of cloves. It was… overpowering. I’m a little surprised that a whole _tablespoon_ of cloves would result in anything edible. I’l try these though, but I’ll definitely cut down on the cloves. Cinnamon and ginger, now… Funnily enough, when I switched to my recipe software to enter this one, the one I’d just finished was Alton Brown’s sauerbraten - which requires ginger snaps to thicken the sauce at the end. Fate, I tells ya.