How to recreate this historic golf club’s famous gingersnap cookies

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There’s never a bad time to enjoy a well-made gingersnap cookie, but fall seems like it’s time for a little more savory, sweet, baked spice flavor. Coincidentally, this fall is when Florida’s Mountain Lakes Golf Club reopens after a 26-week hiatus in late spring and summer, and the historic club, best known for its enviable Seth Rayner-designed course, is equally famous for its gingersnaps. Seriously, this pro shop also sells golf belts embroidered with quirky caricatures of those cookies.

Naturally, I reached out to the club to learn some tips on making ginger snaps in bulk. Understandably, the club was reluctant to reveal the specific recipe it uses. You can’t blame them for that, but the club’s deputy general manager, Aaron Langley, revealed some very important tidbits. He also shared the club’s secret ingredient: high-quality grated ginger. However, he did not say how much he would use.

So while we can’t give you a step-by-step guide to making the exact gingersnap cookies that Mountain Lake offers, we can give you the next best thing. It’s expert guidance for making your own gingersnaps, cookies that could become famous in their own right.

golden ratio

Mountain Lake may be tight-lipped about its own recipes, but the club is happy to help amateur baking enthusiasts evaluate the more readily available recipes out there. As Langley admits, all cookie recipes are based on proportions, and for gingersnap cookies, the most important ingredients are measured out as follows: 1 part butter, 1.5 parts sugar, 2.5 parts flour, 1 part molasses (seasoned with baking soda and ginger for flavor). If a recipe seems noticeably unbalanced when using this ratio, that “could be a sign to avoid,” Langley says.

That said, he’s also quick to point out that there’s actually no single universal red flag when evaluating a recipe’s putative effectiveness. “Much of your baking success depends on how you execute the recipe,” he explains. “A good recipe in one person’s hands can end up in someone else’s hands if it is not followed carefully.”

cautious approach

Even if you know reliable ingredient ratios, your baking efforts can go awry depending on how those ingredients are measured. “The U.S. system, which uses cups and teaspoons, can lead to variable results,” Langley acknowledged. “For consistent baking, measuring in grams is much more accurate and helps avoid over- or under-measurement of critical ingredients.”

Molasses makes a difference

“In general, you want dark unsulfurized molasses to give the cookies snap, color, and warmth without making them bitter,” says Langley. Langley likes Grandma’s Original unsulfurized molasses, Brer Rabbit Full Flavor molasses, and Golden Barrel unsulfurized baking molasses. “But avoid blackstrap,” he adds. “Unless you want a sharp, earthy flavor,” Langley cautions, in which case you’ll need to add more sugar to balance it out.

Do not abuse the fabric

Mountain Lake’s assistant GM says a common mistake home bakers make when baking cookies is overworking the dough, which can result in rubbery or dry cookies. “The more you process the dough, the more gluten it produces,” he explains. “As a general rule, cookies should have minimal gluten. Gluten makes them hard instead of soft, dense instead of crunchy, and puffy instead of spread evenly.”

What are the warning signs? Fabric that feels elastic or bouncy to the touch. Dough that appears shiny, pasty, or sticky. (It should have a matte finish.) Also, if your cookies don’t spread much in the oven, you’ve likely made too much dough.

Chewy or crunchy?

Not everyone likes the same type of cookies, especially when it comes to eating them. For some people, something soft and chewy is ideal. Some people prefer a crunchy texture. Fortunately, you can take steps to easily reach either outcome.

For crunchy gingersnaps, Langley likes to use butter instead of shortening. “It’s going to make a huge difference in flavor and spread,” he says. Similarly, replace baking powder with baking soda. “It helps spread and contributes to its cracked surface and deep color.” Finally, set the oven to 325 degrees and bake the dough for 14 to 17 minutes.

If you prefer a softer, more savory bite, Langley recommends using brown sugar in addition to granulated sugar, a little more molasses, less flour, and more eggs. It may seem counterintuitive, but soft, chewy gingersnap cookies also need to be baked at a slightly higher temperature and just for a shorter amount of time than crispy ones. Langley bakes at 350 degrees for just 9 to 11 minutes.