There’s something irresistibly cozy about homemade spreads with a touch of spice and richness. This Homemade Cookie Butter with Gingersnaps Recipe captures that perfectly—offering a creamy, deeply toasted flavor that’s downright addictive. Once you try it, you’ll want to keep a jar close for everything from toast to sweet snacks.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients & Why They Work
- Make It Your Way
- Step-by-Step: How I Make Homemade Cookie Butter with Gingersnaps Recipe
- Top Tip
- How to Serve Homemade Cookie Butter with Gingersnaps Recipe
- Make Ahead and Storage
- Frequently Asked Questions:
- Final Thoughts
- Homemade Cookie Butter with Gingersnaps Recipe
Why You'll Love This Recipe
From the first time I made this, I was hooked by how simple it is to get such a luxuriously smooth and spiced spread. The blend of brown butter and crispy gingersnap crumbs creates a flavor no store-bought version can match. Let me share what makes this Homemade Cookie Butter with Gingersnaps Recipe a standout.
- Supremely Creamy Texture: The brown butter adds a silky richness that makes the cookie crumbs melt into a luscious spread.
- Deep, Warm Flavor: Using gingersnaps infuses the butter with spicy notes of ginger and cinnamon that feel like a cozy hug.
- Quick & Easy to Make: You’ll have it ready in under 20 minutes—no complicated steps or weird ingredients.
- Highly Customizable: You can swap in other cookies or adjust sweetness to suit your taste easily.
Ingredients & Why They Work
Each ingredient in this Homemade Cookie Butter with Gingersnaps Recipe brings its own magic, and together they create a beautifully smooth, richly flavored spread. Here’s a quick breakdown to help you shop wisely and understand their roles.
- Unsalted Butter: Browned gently for a nutty depth, it forms the creamy fat base essential to luscious texture.
- Boiling Hot Water: Helps dissolve the sugar and softens the cookie crumbs for smooth blending.
- Brown Sugar: Adds mellow sweetness with a hint of molasses that complements the spices.
- Gingersnap Cookies: The star ingredient—crispy, spiced cookies that give the spread character and flavor.
- Sea Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances all the warm notes in the butter.
Make It Your Way
I love mixing things up with this Homemade Cookie Butter with Gingersnaps Recipe depending on the season or mood. It’s incredibly versatile and forgiving, so don’t hesitate to try your own tweaks!
- Variation: Once, I swapped gingersnaps for crunchy speculoos cookies, and the cinnamon notes came through even more warmly—an absolute hit with family.
- Less Sweet Option: Try cutting the brown sugar in half if you want a less sugary spread, especially if you plan to add it to sweet baked goods later.
- Dairy-Free Version: You can use coconut oil browned the same way as butter to make this vegan-friendly and just as delicious.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Homemade Cookie Butter with Gingersnaps Recipe
Step 1: Brown the Butter to Perfection
Start by placing unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Melt it slowly and watch closely as it foams and then the foam settles. This bubbling stage is where the magic happens—little golden bits will start forming on the bottom, releasing a toasty aroma. That nutty aroma is your signal to remove it from heat. Pour into a heatproof bowl and let it cool just until warm, so it doesn’t melt your other ingredients later.
Step 2: Dissolve the Brown Sugar
In a separate small bowl or cup, stir together the brown sugar and boiling hot water until the sugar dissolves completely. This sweet syrup will help blend everything into a smooth, creamy texture.
Step 3: Turn Cookies into Fine Crumbs
Add your gingersnap cookies to a food processor or a powerful blender. Pulse or blend these until they transform into fine crumbs, almost powdery. This is key to achieving a smooth spread without gritty bits.
Step 4: Blend It All Together
Pour the brown sugar syrup into the food processor with the crumbs, then blend until creamy. Next, add your pinch of sea salt and the cooled brown butter — make sure it’s warm, not hot, so it doesn’t melt the whole mixture and mess with the texture. Blend all together until you get a velvety, sticky spread that’s smooth and rich. Transfer to a jar or container.
Step 5: Chill and Set
Pop the cookie butter into the fridge for 1 to 2 hours to thicken up. This chilling step helps the flavors settle and the texture firm up just right—ready to spread, dip, or spoon out as you like.
Top Tip
After making this Homemade Cookie Butter with Gingersnaps Recipe a handful of times, I learned a few small tricks to get it just right without stress. These helped me avoid common pitfalls and get silky smooth results every time.
- Butter Browning Watch: Keep a close eye on the butter as it cools because the difference between golden nutty and burnt is a few seconds—remove it as soon as you see tiny brown flecks.
- Cookie Crumb Size: Make sure your crumbs are as fine as possible; larger crumbs can make the butter gritty, so pulse carefully and don’t rush this step.
- Temperature Balance: Adding butter that’s too hot can cause separation or melt the sugar, so wait until it’s warm, not hot, before blending.
- Chill Time: Don’t skip the fridge! Giving it time to set thickens the texture and intensifies the flavors for that irresistible spreadability.
How to Serve Homemade Cookie Butter with Gingersnaps Recipe
Garnishes
I often sprinkle a pinch of extra ground cinnamon or a few chopped crystallized ginger pieces on top before serving. It adds a little pop of texture and a hint of spicy sparkle that pairs beautifully with the butter’s smoothness.
Side Dishes
This butter is delicious spread on warm toast, swirled into oatmeal, or dolloped on pancakes. I also love pairing it with apple slices or using it as a dip for banana chunks — the spices echo so nicely.
Creative Ways to Present
For holidays or gatherings, try presenting it in a small ramekin with mini gingerbread cookies or crisp pretzels for dipping. Another fun idea is to use it as a decadent swirl in cheesecake or spread between layers of a cake for a unique twist.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
I keep mine in an airtight jar in the fridge. It stays fresh for up to two weeks, perfect for sneaking a spoonful whenever the craving hits. Just be sure to stir before each use since some separation may occur.
Freezing
I’ve frozen this cookie butter in small portions with no problem. Thaw it in the fridge overnight, then give it a quick stir to restore that creamy consistency—it holds up surprisingly well!
Reheating
If you want it spreadable right away, I warm a small amount gently in the microwave for 10–15 seconds. Just be careful not to overheat or it can become oily. Alternatively, take it out early to soften at room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Absolutely! While this recipe highlights the spicy richness of gingersnaps, you can substitute speculoos, Biscoff, Oreos, shortbread, or any crunchy cookie. Just make sure they are crisp for the best texture.
Browning the butter adds a deep, toasted flavor and a creamy texture to the cookie butter, making it richer and giving it a warm, nutty undertone that regular melted butter wouldn’t.
Stored in an airtight container, this cookie butter should stay fresh for about two weeks in the fridge. Always check for any changes in smell or texture before eating.
Yes! You can substitute the butter with browned coconut oil to make the recipe vegan-friendly. The flavor will be slightly different but still delicious and creamy.
Final Thoughts
This Homemade Cookie Butter with Gingersnaps Recipe is one of those simple kitchen triumphs that keeps giving. I love how it brings together everyday ingredients to create something utterly special, comforting, and delightful. Whether you spread it on toast, swirl it into desserts, or just savor it by the spoonful, it’s guaranteed to brighten your day. You’ve got to try making this at home—you’ll thank yourself every time you open that jar!
Print
Homemade Cookie Butter with Gingersnaps Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 34 tablespoons
- Category: Condiment
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Homemade Cookie Butter Recipe is a creamy, smooth, and delicious spread made from spiced cookies and brown butter. Its rich toasted flavor and velvety texture make it perfect for spreading on toast, adding to desserts, or enjoying by the spoonful. Easy to prepare in under 20 minutes, this recipe uses gingersnap cookies but can be customized with various cookie types for a unique twist.
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup boiling hot water
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar (packed)
Dry Ingredients
- 10 oz gingersnap cookies
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Melt the butter: Add the butter into a small saucepan and heat on medium until melted. Continue heating on medium, watching closely as it foams and bubbles, then the foam subsides. Stir gently to prevent burning and remove from heat as soon as little golden brown bits appear. Pour into a heat-safe bowl to cool until warm.
- Prepare sugar-water mixture: In a separate small bowl, combine brown sugar and boiling hot water. Stir until sugar dissolves and set aside.
- Process cookies: Place gingersnap cookies into a food processor or blender. Pulse or blend until fine crumbs form.
- Blend cookie mixture: Add the prepared sugar-water mixture to the cookie crumbs. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Add salt and brown butter: Add sea salt and the cooled brown butter (not hot) to the food processor. Blend everything until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Chill and set: Transfer the cookie butter into a container or jar. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours until thickened and set before serving.
Notes
- Use gingersnap cookies for a classic spiced flavor, or try Speculoos, Biscoff, Oreos, shortbread, or crunchy chocolate chip cookies for different variations.
- The brown butter adds a deep toasted flavor and creamy texture, so watch carefully when browning to avoid burning.
- Make sure the browned butter is warm and not hot before adding it to the food processor to prevent melting the mixture.
- This recipe yields about 16 oz (500 mL) of cookie butter, approximately 34 tablespoons.
- Cookie butter can be used as a spread, in desserts, or enjoyed straight from the jar.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Calories: 61 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 55 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.2 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 0.2 g
- Protein: 0.5 g
- Cholesterol: 7 mg
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