Bacon Fat Gingersnaps Recipe (2024)

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Cooking Notes

Canaan

Maybe step 1 shouldn't be to heat the oven, if you have to chill the dough for 2 hours.

Lynda Chitwood

These are just stupid good!! I was a bit short on bacon fat, so I evened it out with butter (just so no Vegan would ever touch them, haha).
I added a bit more ginger, and next time will do even more.
I saw someone else's note about using cardamom so I will be doing that too.
Just a deliciously different cookie!!

BTW...to all the other cooks who take the time to share their notes - THANK YOU!! They are all helpful.

Sailing Studio

Made two batches, the first following the recipe, and the second, replacing about half the bacon fat with butter, and adding about a tablespoon of finely diced fresh ginger. Prefer the second batch: the first was amazing, but a little overwhelmed by bacon, and had a slight fatty aftertaste (described by another reviewer). The second had a cleaner, fresher taste, a bit more ginger zing.

Smith

I made this recipe for the 2nd time. This time I did the entire recipe by weight instead of volume. In doing so, I felt like I used a lot more of the spices (according to the gram weight in the recipe) than I when I used teaspoons. This may explain why others felt like this needed more spice. Given that it was based on a Swedish recipe, it is possible that the original authors intended for more spice than the volumetric conversion allowed. As with the first time, these cookies were incredible!

Baba

I like my gingersnaps spicy. While the cookies were tasty, I thought it could do with more spices. The next time I plan to double amount of spices and add finely grated ginger.

rex

Leave out the salt. The bacon grease already has so much.

Delice

These are wonderful! Why do people get so worked up about bacon fat? How is it any better/worse for you than butter?

I doubled the spices, as other posters recommended and they still weren't quite "gingery" enough for us. So I made ginger sugar to foll the dough balls in and...perfection!

To make ginger sugar, peel fresh ginger and blend with granulated sugar. Dry it in a 200' oven for about 20 minutes. blend again to break up any clumps and store in your pantry.

Smith

I followed the recipe to the letter, and these were transcendent. The bacon fat gives this subtle saltiness, richness, and, well, meatiness that is truly addicting. Worth the extra step of cooking bacon. Makes BLTs for dinner, and enjoy these luscious cookies for dessert. I refrigerated the cookie dough and was able to enjoy freshly baked cookies for a few days.

ADM

I really liked these. Yes, they are high caloric and will probably only make it onto the "MAKE" list during the holidays to share with others. I was surprised how the bacon flavor was in the background. They were the best and simplest gingersnaps I've ever made.

Stephanie

I brought these to a family holiday party - and had relatives guess the secret ingredient. After many guesses, my nephew got it! It took 2 pounds of bacon to make the fat for this recipe, and so worth it. Total yum.

Shannon

Definitely hanging onto this recipe! Per other reviewers suggestions, I ended up doubling the amount of ground ginger and cinnamon to punch up the spice factor (I left the clove amount as is, since I'm not a big fan of it), also used 1/2 cup of bacon fat, and supplemented the remainder with butter. I could really taste the bacon flavor in the raw batter, but it definitely mellowed out in the cooked result.

Barbara

It's clear that several bakers are big fans, but my family was not impressed. We have a molasses cookie that they all love, more spicy and without the meat factor, and I'm going to revert to that one. This was kind of flat, flavor wise, and too redolent of meat. I thought -- bacon; what can go wrong? -- but No. I actually tossed them, which, in this household, is almost sacrilege for cookies. Did not like them at all.

Sara

I made these with 2/3 duck fat and 1/3 butter. I cut the ground ginger in half and then added about a tbsp of grated fresh ginger. So, so easy and delicious.You get much more fat off of roasting duck, than you do off of bacon, so I recommend it as an alternative. I probably could have added two or three more tablespoons of flour, but even my slightly wetter dough bakes up great.I've frozen the dough, separated into cookie balls, so I can bring fresh cookies to friends all season.

Catherine

These are amazing and a big hit with everyone who has tried them! And, well-wrapped, they freeze well.

Rick

Superb recipe.
Mine turned out flat, crisp and perfect. I am not much of a baker, so I am surprised when my bakes turn out exactly like the recipe photos! The salt is a beautiful balance to the spices. I served them on a plate with a small scoop of ice cream; my guests were delighted.
Thank you for a great recipe!

Roger

I really wanted to love these, but I found the bacon flavor to be too much. After eating two or three, I had my fill and didn't crave any more. When I make these again I'll definitely follow the other reviewers' advice and cut some of the bacon fat with regular butter.

Eleanor

These were great, made a few changes:- replaced the 2/3 of the bacon fat with browned butter- doubled all the spices (didn’t have a scale so measure with a spoon)- added a generous tablespoon of grated fresh ginger (hot tip: don’t bother peeling it)- added half a cup of finely chopped candied gingerReally excellent, very spicy!

Catherine

For a real ginger bump, replace 50g of bacon fat with 15 g squeeze ginger (eg, spice world) and 35 g of butter. Also, pour the bacon fat through cheese cloth before you chill it. Add 3 g ground cardamom if you have it.

melkat

Based on others’ comments about mild dpi ones, I doubled all of the spices, following the volumetric measurements, and it wasn’t too much for us. But we like strong tastes, and my spices are not as fresh as ideal either. We love bacon drippings, which I always save and cook with, so that taste was not too strong for us either. I do wish I had not baked mine so long, though. I think the directions led me to leave them in too long, and mine are a bit harder than just ‘crisp’. Will def make again!

Marian V

Step one says to turn on the oven to 350 but later in the recipe, it says to chill for at least two hours. No one really wants to heat the oven two hours ahead of time.

Sarah Willis

I kept some of the dough in the fridge and baked a couple nights later, but this time I turned the oven temp up to 400, didn't roll in sugar and baked for about 9 minutes. 8 minutes would've been perfect but they came out so insanely crispy. This is the way

Mary T

REALLY want to try this recipe but don’t have a food processor. Will this work with my stand mixer?

GBeery

Why strain the bacon fat? I used exceptional bacon, and left the bacon residue in the fat - yum!

Jean-Marie Simon

These sound weird, but they are fantastic: don't skimp on the bacon fat.

Yoopergal57

I've been making bacon fat cookies for almost 50 years from an old family recipe from my husband's family. They are not spicy cookies, more similar to a "what is that taste in the background" shortbread cookie. The family eagerly awaits them every year in their Christmas cookie bundle. However. I may make these instead this year and see which one wins. I can't believe I never spiced up my basic recipe! These sound terrific!

bimini

Made these today and they were a hit! Will bake them again closer to Christmas!!!

bimini

One last note- roll into a log before chilling- cut a press in the sugar, they baked very evenly!!

patty

Disappointed. Way too sweet. Agree that more spice / ginger is needed.A rare miss.

Diana

Maybe it's the bacon I used, but these are bacon-forward forsure forsure! Rolled them in Turbinado sugar for extra texture and tried out mixing in some dark chocolate (sans sugar outside) along with extra ground ginger - sugar coating seems to be the winner.

JenAlex

Taste fantastic! But, have now made a few times (freshened up all ingredients) and they do not flatten out like in photo. Any input what could be awry??

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Bacon Fat Gingersnaps Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can you use bacon fat instead of butter in cookies? ›

The amount of bacon grease you use is important. Through trial and error (and a few batches of inedible cookies) I found it best to replace only a quarter of the butter in the recipe with bacon grease—more than that gave the cookies too much pork flavor.

What can I cook in bacon fat? ›

Cook Croutons or Fries in It

Melt the grease so it's liquid, lightly coat cut potatoes or roughly torn stale bread in it, and then bake until crisp. You can also deep-fry or pan-fry croutons or potatoes in bacon fat, if that's more your speed.

Are ginger snaps healthy for you? ›

Gingersnaps are a healthier alternative to other cookies, being that they are generally low in calories and have many benefits. The ginger that is in these cookies has anti-inflammatory properties, is known to help treat nausea and fight heart disease and other illnesses.

How much bacon grease to substitute for butter? ›

Tips for Cooking With Bacon Grease

Bacon grease livens up savory dishes, but don't limit yourself. Try using bacon grease in place of butter in sweet or savory baking recipes. Replace half to all of the butter with the bacon grease for extra flavor in chocolate chip cookies, molasses cookies, or gingerbread cakes.

What is the ratio of bacon fat to butter? ›

Substitute bacon fat for vegetable oil in a 1:2 ratio; for butter, 1:1 is more fitting, but you can play around to find a happy medium that suits your taste. Cooking with bacon grease is a little more forgiving than baking when it comes to proportions.

Is it OK to cook eggs in bacon fat? ›

Yes, you can cook scrambled eggs in bacon grease. It can add a delicious bacon flavor to your eggs. Just be mindful of the saltiness, as bacon grease is already salty, so you might want to use less additional salt in your eggs if desired.

Should you fry eggs in bacon fat? ›

It turns out that cooking eggs in bacon fat (or "liquid gold" as we like to call it) allows the edges to become crispy and ensures the yolk stays soft and tender. The grease also infuses the eggs with a salty and smoky flavor, eliminating the need to add tons of salt afterwards.

How long does bacon fat last in the fridge? ›

The shelf life for refrigerated bacon grease is approximately three months. To be safe, always smell the grease before using it because it can turn rancid during storage. You can also store bacon fat indefinitely in the freezer.

Do you need to refrigerate bacon fat? ›

While bacon grease canisters residing on the back of the stove were once commonplace, storing it in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer is recommended to prolong quality. Straining is important, because bits of bacon left in the fat can cause it to go rancid quicker.

Why is my bacon fat turning brown? ›

If it has started to go bad, its color will be off. If the bacon in your fridge has a grayish, greenish, or brownish shade, it's time to throw it out.

Can you eat too many ginger snaps? ›

Ginger is safe to eat daily, but experts recommend limiting yourself to 3 to 4 grams a day — stick to 1 gram daily if you're pregnant. Taking more than 6 grams of ginger a day has been proven to cause gastrointestinal issues such as reflux, heartburn and diarrhea.

Do ginger snaps settle your stomach? ›

Will ginger candy soothe an upset stomach? Yes, ginger in ANY form will do that.

Are ginger snaps anti inflammatory? ›

Ginger biscuits or cookies are a type of cookie that is made from ground ginger, which is often used as a spice. These cookies have been shown to be beneficial for those who suffer from joint pain or inflammation because of its anti-inflammatory properties.

What is a good substitute for butter in cookies? ›

WHAT ARE BUTTER ALTERNATIVES FOR BAKING?
  • MARGARINE. Margarine is a fat that is made mostly from vegetable oil that's flavored to taste like butter. ...
  • SHORTENING. Shortening is 100% fat, made from hydrogenated vegetable oils. ...
  • OLIVE OIL & VEGETABLE OIL. ...
  • COCONUT OIL. ...
  • PUMPKIN PURÉE. ...
  • APPLESAUCE. ...
  • GREEK YOGURT. ...
  • BANANAS.

Can you use bacon fat for baking? ›

Add savory richness to a batch of cornbread or cookies

You can also add some bacon grease to a batch of chocolate chip or peanut butter cookies. Bacon works with a lot of other flavors, like maple, chocolate or vanilla, so don't be shy about trying it with your favorite cookie recipe.

Can I substitute anything for butter in cookies? ›

A good rule of thumb for this substitution: Replace about ¾ of the butter in a recipe with olive, canola, or vegetable oil (if the recipe calls for 1 cup butter, use ¾ cup oil). If the recipe calls for melted butter, though, you can swap the ingredients in equal amounts — there's no need to adjust your ratios.

Is bacon grease better than butter? ›

Why is Butter better than Bacon Grease? Noticeably more proteins per 100g. Notably more niacin per 100g. Definitely higher water content per 100g.

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