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

How to cook bacon fat? ›

Tips for Cooking With Bacon Grease

It has a low smoke point, though, so it's not good for high-heat cooking. But it's great for roasting, moderate sauteing, and baking. 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.

Is bacon fat better than olive oil? ›

Sure, bacon fat gets a bad rap for its cholesterol level compared to “healthier” fats like olive oil, but calorie for calorie, they're virtually the same. And while olive oil likes to boast that it's more heart healthy, bacon fat is fine with that, because it brings loads more flavor to the table.

How long can I keep bacon grease in the refrigerator? ›

Where To Store Bacon Grease. Although many of us grew up with relatives who stored their bacon grease in a jar or can set on the counter or on the back of the stovetop, food safety experts don't recommend storing it that way now. Instead, store bacon grease in the refrigerator (up to 3 months) or freezer (indefinitely) ...

How do you know when bacon fat is cooked? ›

When it's ready to eat, those rosy hues will have darkened to a reddish-brown color, and the fat will morph into a tan or golden shade. The other obvious giveaway that your bacon is done is its texture. The raw meat will be limp, flexible, and soft, while cooked strips will be stiff, crispy, and lightweight.

Do you cook bacon fat side up or down? ›

Place the pork belly skin (fat) side up on the grate. Smoke the belly until bronzed with wood smoke and firm. The internal temperature should be between 150 and 160 degrees. (Insert an instant-read thermometer probe through the side of the bacon at one end.)

Is bacon fat good for anything? ›

And surprisingly, it does has some healthy qualities. Like canola and olive oil, bacon fat is high in oleic acid, which is thought to reduce inflammation and cholesterol levels, Quinn said. Also, bacon fat simply tastes great.

Is bacon fat healthier than butter? ›

Bacon grease has slightly less cholesterol than butter and only 2 more milligrams of saturated fat. It has the same number of calories as the oil, but more saturated fat and sodium.

What can you do with bacon grease other than cooking? ›

Bird food: You can add small quantities of bacon fat to chicken and turkey feed, especially in winter and if you have extra, you can use it in a bird feeder to attract wild birds. Use rancid bacon grease as fertilizer: If you have bacon fat that's gone rancid, you can still use it as fertilizer.

Why do chefs cook bacon in water? ›

Why Does Cooking Bacon in Water Work? The addition of water keeps the initial cooking temperature low and gentle, so the meat retains its moisture and stays tender as the fat renders. Plus, since the water helps render the fat, there will be significantly less splatter as your bacon finishes in the pan.

Why is my bacon fat yellow? ›

We may refer to bacon grease as liquid gold, but if you notice your stored bacon grease turns from white to yellow, it's time to throw it away! Also, if it has a sour, fishy, or unpleasant odor, it needs to go in the trash. Not only will it make your food taste bad, but it'll make your stomach feel a lot worse.

How do you remove impurities from bacon fat? ›

Strain rendered bacon fat through a fine mesh strainer into a small saucepan. Add one cup of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and gently boil for 1-2 minutes.

Can you cook with bacon grease that was left out overnight? ›

Though previous generations of home chefs kept bacon grease on the counter, experts recommend storing yours in the refrigerator or the freezer. "It's best to not keep the bacon grease at room temperature because any microparticles of the bacon can cause the grease to go rancid," says Abbott.

When should you throw out bacon grease? ›

Once the fat hardens, wrap the foil around the fat and toss it in the trash. Strain the warm grease into a container left over from frozen juice, a soup can, a coffee can, or a coated beverage/take-out carton. Label the container with the date and “cooking grease – not for recycling” and store it in your fridge.

Can I freeze bacon? ›

An unopened package of bacon can be frozen for a month, or up to four months at the outside. 1 The flavor and quality will begin to deteriorate the longer it is in the freezer.

Is bacon fat good to cook with? ›

When you toss your bacon grease, you're throwing away a cheap, easy-to-use, and oh-so versatile ingredient that's full of smoky flavor. You can use your drippings to fry breakfast favorites like eggs and hash browns, add meatiness to sauces and gravies, lend moisture and flavor to savory baked goods, and so much more.

Can you cook bacon in its own fat? ›

Unlike most other meats, when cooking bacon in a frying pan you want to start with a cold pan. This allows the fat to render out slowly, so the bacon cooks in its own fat. Your bacon will be extra tasty, and you don't need to add any extra oil. Win-win!

Should I save bacon fat for cooking? ›

The chefs recommend using bacon fat for a variety of dishes, including fried eggs, refried beans, roasted and sauteed vegetables, and vinaigrettes. "I especially like using it for a warm salad dressing on top of a classic bistro frisee salad, which includes bacon lardons and a poached egg on top," says Chavez.

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