Ginger snap

This article is about the cookies. For the film, see Ginger Snaps (film).

Scandinavian-style ginger thins

Ginger biscuits are a globally popular biscuit based snack food, flavoured by ginger.

The biscuits are flavoured with powdered ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and other spices. They typically measure 2 inches (5.1 cm) in diameter.

Global terminology

In the UK, Australia and New Zealand and most of the former British Empire, they are often called Ginger nuts. Ginger nuts are not to be confused with pepper nuts, which are a ginger bread variety, somewhat smaller in diameter, but thicker, and contain pepper as a spice.

Scandinavian ginger nuts, also called ginger thins or 'brunkage' in Danish (literally, brown biscuits), pepparkakor in Swedish and peparkakor/peparkaker/pepperkaker in Norwegian (literally, pepper cakes), are rolled quite thin (often under 3 mm (1/8-inch) thick), and cut into shapes; they have smooth tops, and are usually somewhat thinner and hence crisper (and in some cases, more strongly flavoured) than most global varieties.

In the United States, gingersnaps are generally round drop cookies, usually between 3 mm (1/8-inch) and 6 mm (1/4-inch) thick, with prominent cracks in the top surface. One recipe for these cookies contains maple syrup, probably an American addition.

See also

• Cornish fairings
• Dunk (biscuit)
• Gingerbread
• Speculaas