Brandy Snaps

Crisp, golden, and delicately spiced, these British Brandy Snaps are buttery lace cookies filled with cream—perfect for holidays or tea time.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Cool and Roll Time 10

Total Time 35

Servings -14 cookies

Calories 112kcal

Author Kathleen

1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
2 tablespoons light corn syrup or British golden syrup, for a traditional version
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste

Preheat oven to 350°F (177ºC).
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Set out a wooden spoon handle, a dowel, or cannoli molds for shaping.
Sift the flour (1/4 cup), salt (a pinch), and powdered ginger (1/2 teaspoon) together to remove any lumps.

In a small saucepan, melt butter (1/4 cup), brown sugar (1/4 cup), and corn syrup (2 tablespoons) over medium-low heat, stirring until smooth and bubbling (about 3 minutes).
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the flour mixture and vanilla (1/2 teaspoon) until smooth.

Drop rounded 1/2 teaspoons of batter onto the baking sheet, spaced at least 4 inches apart (they spread a lot). Work in small batches of 2-3 cookies.
Bake for 7–9 minutes, until flat, bubbling, and a rich amber color.

Let cookies cool on the tray for 45–60 seconds—just until they can be lifted but are still pliable.
Carefully lift one cookie with a spatula and wrap it around the handle of a spoon or dowel. Hold briefly, then slide off to a wire rack.
If the cookies harden before you can shape them, return the tray to the warm oven for 30 seconds to soften.

Whip the cream (1/2 cup), powdered sugar (2 tablespoons), and vanilla (1 teaspoon) until stiff peaks form.
Spoon or pipe into cooled brandy snaps just before serving.

Work with confidence (and a little speed). These cookies don’t wait for anyone. If they stiffen too quickly, just pop them back in the oven for 20–30 seconds to re-soften.
Size matters. Drop only ½ teaspoon per cookie—they spread dramatically! Spacing them far apart prevents merging.
Customize the shape. Drape over a cup to make dessert “baskets,” roll around a dowel for tubes, or leave flat as elegant caramel crisps.
Store smart. Humidity is the enemy. Keep unfilled snaps in an airtight tin with wax paper, plus a few grains of uncooked rice or a silica packet to absorb moisture.
Filling finesse. Pipe whipped cream just before serving—moisture will soften the shells if they sit too long.