These brandy snaps baskets are thin, crispy ginger cookies made with butter, brown sugar, and golden syrup. While they’re still warm, they’re shaped into little baskets, then filled with lightly sweetened whipped cream and fresh strawberries.

They’re such a pretty individual dessert, and the best part is that the baskets can be made well ahead of time. Just add the cream and fruit right before serving to keep them crisp.

Ingredients and substitutions

You only need a handful of ingredients for the brandy snaps, plus some cream and fresh fruit for filling. Find the full amounts in the recipe card below.

For the brandy snaps

• Butter: I use salted butter for flavor. You can also use unsalted butter and add an extra pinch of salt.
• Golden syrup: Gives the cookies their caramel flavor and helps create their delicate, lacy texture. You can use store-bought syrup or my homemade golden syrup recipe.
• Soft brown sugar: Adds sweetness, moisture, and a little molasses flavor.
• All-purpose flour: Gives the delicate cookies just enough structure to hold their shape once cooled.
• Ground ginger: Adds a little warmth and spice without overpowering the caramel flavor.
• Lemon juice: Adds a touch of acidity to the mixture.
• Salt: Balances the sweetness.

For the Chantilly cream filling

• Heavy whipping cream: Use cold cream with at least 35% fat so it whips up nicely.
• Powdered sugar: Just a little, since the brandy snap baskets are already quite sweet.
• Vanilla extract or paste: Adds flavor to the cream.
• Strawberries: Fresh strawberries add a lovely contrast to the sweet, crisp baskets.
• Fresh mint: Optional, but it adds a little freshness.

How to make brandy snaps baskets

The batter is very easy to make, but I recommend baking just one or two brandy snaps at first to get a feel for how quickly they bake and how long you have to shape them.

Make the brandy snap batter

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a large baking sheet with nonstick parchment paper.

2. Add the butter, brown sugar, golden syrup, and salt to a medium saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring gently until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Avoid letting the mixture boil.

3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it cool for about a minute. Add the flour, ground ginger, and lemon juice, then stir with a wooden spoon until everything is combined into a smooth, glossy batter.

Bake the brandy snaps

4. The mixture will thicken a bit as it sits.

5. Drop approximately 2 teaspoons of batter per brandy snap onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving plenty of space between each one. They will spread considerably as they bake.

6. Bake for approximately 6 to 10 minutes, until the cookies have spread into thin, bubbly rounds and turned a deep amber color.

7. Have an upside-down, lightly greased muffin pan ready before the cookies come out of the oven. You can also use the bottoms of small jars or bowls.

8. Hold it there briefly until it firms up, then carefully remove it and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. Let them cool before filling.

Tips for perfect brandy snaps

Filling variations

Strawberries and lightly sweetened whipped cream are my favorite combination, but there are plenty of other ways to fill these little baskets.

• Lemon curd and cream: Add a spoonful of homemade lemon curd underneath the whipped cream for a tangy contrast.
• Vanilla pastry cream: Fill the baskets with thick homemade vanilla custard and top with fresh berries.
• Chocolate pastry cream: A chocolate filling works really well with the ginger and caramel flavors.
• Ice cream: Add a small scoop of vanilla ice cream right before serving.
• Mascarpone cream: Fold a little mascarpone into lightly sweetened whipped cream for a richer filling.

You can also swap the strawberries for raspberries, blueberries, or other fresh seasonal fruit.

Making ahead and storing

Unfilled brandy snaps: These can be made up to a week ahead. Once completely cool, store them in an airtight container at room temperature, somewhere cool and dry. Humidity can cause them to soften.

Chantilly cream: You can prepare the cream a few hours ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Give it a gentle whisk if needed before filling the baskets.

Filled brandy snaps: These are best served immediately. The cream and fruit will gradually soften the crisp cookies, so avoid assembling them too far in advance.

Brandy Snaps Baskets

5 from 1 vote

Elien Lewis

Thin, crispy, buttery brandy snaps flavored with ginger and golden syrup, shaped into little baskets and filled with vanilla Chantilly cream and fresh strawberries.

Print Pin

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 minutes mins

Total Time 18 minutes mins

Servings 16

Ingredients

 

MetricUS Customary

 

1x2x3x

• 75 g butter
• 75 g golden syrup
• 75 g soft brown sugar
• 75 g all-purpose flour
• Pinch of salt
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice

Chantilly cream

• 360 g heavy cream cold
• 1/2 Tablespoon powdered sugar plus more for dusting
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
• Fresh strawberries diced
• Fresh mint leaves shredded

Instructions

 

Make the brandy snaps

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line baking sheets with nonstick parchment paper.
• In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, golden syrup, and salt.
• Heat over medium-low heat, stirring gently until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Don’t let the mixture boil.
• Remove from the heat and cool for about a minute. Add the flour, ground ginger, and lemon juice, stirring until combined and glossy.
• Drop approximately 2 teaspoons of batter per cookie onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving plenty of room for spreading. Work in small batches.
• Bake for approximately 6 to 10 minutes, until the cookies have spread into thin, bubbly rounds and are deep amber in color.
• Cool on the baking sheet for about a minute, just until they’re safe to handle but still flexible.

Shape the baskets

• Have a lightly greased, upside-down muffin pan ready.
• Gently lift each warm cookie with an offset spatula and drape it over the raised base of a muffin cup.
• Press the sides down gently to create a basket shape. Hold briefly until the cookie begins to firm up.
• Remove and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• If the cookies harden before shaping, return them to the oven for approximately 30 seconds to soften again.

Make the filling

• In a bowl, combine the cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla.
• Beat until soft peaks form, taking care not to overwhip.
• Just before serving, spoon or pipe the whipped cream into the cooled baskets.
• Top with chopped strawberries, fresh mint if using, and a dusting of powdered sugar.

Notes

• Baking time: Start with one or two cookies to learn how quickly they bake in your oven. They need to be deep amber and lacy for the best crisp texture.
• Shaping: Work while the cookies are warm and flexible. Reheat briefly if they become too brittle to shape.
• Golden syrup: Store-bought or homemade golden syrup works.
• Butter: If using unsalted butter, add an extra small pinch of salt.
• Make ahead: Store unfilled baskets in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
• Serving: Fill immediately before serving so the baskets stay crisp.
• Flour: For the most accurate results, weigh the flour in grams.

Nutrition

Serving: 1basketCalories: 161kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 1gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 38mgPotassium: 35mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 448IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 0.3mg

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