If you were around in the 70s and 80s in southern California, you must remember Pogens ginger snaps. They came in a bag with a Swedish-style logo, but they were made in a bakery local to the Los Angeles area.
These gingerbread cookies were kind of an obsession. They were super thin, flavored with cinnamon and ginger, and cut out into simple animal shapes and simply decorated with a few holes poked into the dough.
And one day they disappeared. Dang!
Pogens gingersnaps were kind of like potato chips, you couldn't stop at just one! They were also distinguished by their smooth surface and their "snap."
The trick to making these Pogens gingersnaps is to roll them super thin. I used this rolling pin to roll the cookies to 1/6 inch thick, but I'm thinking I might "need" this rolling pin for getting the thickness to 1/8 inch thick.
I dragged out my cookie cutters with the intention of creating multiple cookie shapes, but, ultimately, I went with gingerbread men.. plus one snowman.
Tips for making Pogens gingersnaps:
The dough for these gingersnaps is pretty fragile because it is very dry. When you cut out the cookies, remove the dough from the edges of the cut out cookies, and then lift the cut out gingerbread cookies onto the prepared baking sheet.
One of my favorite ways to roll out cookie or other dough is sandwiching it between two sheets of parchment or wax paper. Once your roll out the dough, lift off the top of the parchment paper so that it doesn't stick when you cut out the cookies, and place the paper back onto the dough. Next, flip the dough over, and then lift off the bottom piece of paper and place it back on the dough.
Using this method, the cut out cookies should lift easily from the paper onto the baking sheet.
For another throwback copycat recipe, you might also like the recipe for Blum's Coffee Crunch Cake.
Did you know that November 21 is National Gingerbread Cookie Day? My friend Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla is hosting a round up of gingerbread recipes based on the theme.
I'm pretty excited to check out everyone's recipes:
- Candied Ginger-bread Snaps by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
- Gingerbread Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
- Gingerbread Bundt with Cookie Butter Frosting by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Gingerbread Cheesecake Dip by Kate's Recipe Box
- Gingerbread Donuts by The Redhead Baker
- Gingerbread Hot Cocoa by Our Good Life
- Gingerbread Shortbread by Palatable Pastime
- Gingerbread Waffles by Caroline's Cooking
If you remember Pogens, I'd love to hear from you!
In the meantime, you should definitely try this cookie recipe. To poke the holes in the cookies, all you need is a toothpick that you have broken in half.
All of my taste testers loved these copycat Pogens. I hope you give them a try.
Pogens Ginger Snaps (Copycat)
Yield: 75 cookies
These Pogens Ginger Snaps are thin, crispy, and have just the right amount of ginger.
ingredients:
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 large egg
- 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
instructions:
How to cook Pogens Ginger Snaps (Copycat)
- Mix the butter, brown sugar, and molasses in the bowl of a stand mixer until the mixture is fluffy.
- Add the egg and mix until it is combined.
- Whisk together the rest of the ingredients and add them to the butter mixture. Mix until just combined.
- Roll the dough out between layers of parchment paper to 1/8 inch thick and cut with a cookie cutter. Place the cut out cookies onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Roll up the scraps and continue to cut out cookies. Stack the cookies on top of each other onto the baking sheet sandwiched between sheets of parchment paper.
- Chill the cookies in the refrigerator overnight.
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Separate the cookies and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake the cookies, one baking sheet at a time, for about 10 minutes. Cool the cookies on a wire rack.
Calories
41.36
41.36
Fat (grams)
1.34
1.34
Sat. Fat (grams)
0.79
0.79
Carbs (grams)
6.84
6.84
Fiber (grams)
0.17
0.17
Net carbs
6.68
6.68
Sugar (grams)
3.25
3.25
Protein (grams)
0.58
0.58
Sodium (milligrams)
50.02
50.02
Cholesterol (grams)
5.72
5.72
Karen's Kitchen Stories
It's always fun to relive childhood memories.
ReplyDeleteTotally!
DeleteI was addicted to Pogans!
DeleteWe would place them in the palm of our hand, and push down in the middle with the index finger. If it broke in pieces we got a wish!
We all loved them! Fun too!
Could these little guys be any cuter? I defintiely need to make them for my son this year.
ReplyDeleteHe'd love them!
DeleteI'm loving the history lesson. I need to make these, my family loves gingerbread.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteMy sister and I LOVED Pogens … thanks for the blast to the past!
ReplyDeleteMy sister and I did too!!
DeleteI need those in my life... I am addicted to ginger cookies... they look adorable!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I love that they require no decorating!
DeleteHow timely that you should post this! I grew up eating bag after bag of Pogens and am so sad they are no longer around. I still look for a "replacement" cookie and found something similar (but not quite!) at Aldi's. It's their Spekulatius (spiced cookies)they are carrying for the holidays. They're not as thin as Pogens but the crunch and texture remind me a little bit of our favorite childhood cookie. That's what made me look up Pogens, only to find your informative story and recipe.
ReplyDeleteThank you Karen!
Oh how cool you found your way here! Thank you!
DeleteThat's how I found you too! googling, "purple gingersnap bag 1970's" lol. Thanks for the recipe! Going to try this tomorrow!
DeleteHello Karen! 😎
DeleteIf you REALLY want the genius behind Pogen's Cookies, then it my husband, Dr. David J. Aulik, with whom you should speak with. While the Ginger Snaps are DELIGHTFUL, the killer cookie was the Black Forest!
So, if you are genuinely interested in creating cookies that are to die for, David is the one you need to engage.
Sincerely,
Susan M. Aulik
smapowerspeaker@gmail.com
(808) 989-4806
Oh cool!
DeleteWhat perfect little cookies! These looks great!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing at the Fabulous Friday Linky Party Karen! We hope you can join us again this week >> https://abiggreenhouse.com/the-super-fabulous-friday-linky-party-10/
ReplyDeleteYes🙌🏽 Karen I remember Pogens!😊 The they were the best ginger snap on the planet hands down. I was making ginger cookies with my 3 granddaughters and started to reminisce about the deliciousness of pogens. One of them said "I'm going to google it"! Lol and up popped your recipe... So thank you for sharing the love!❤😊
ReplyDeleteThat's so cool!!! Thanks for letting me know.
DeleteDoes anyone remember the pogens gingersnaps story on the back of the bag .. you place the cookie in palm of hand and press down on the cookie and depending on how many pieces it broke into would give you a fortune
ReplyDeleteI have heard that story!
DeleteI remember doing that as well. My most favorite cookie to eat as a child. So sad when they disappeared from the market.
DeleteI grew up eating pogens. It helped my dad was a Baker. I tried your recipe and it was good but not a pogen. Some things were missing like cardamom. I rolled them out to 1/16 to get them to the right thickness. I substituted bakers ammonia for baking soda. The texture was correct but the flavor lacks something. Still working on it. You posting was a great inspiration. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the feedback! I'd love to hear what you finally come up with!
DeleteSo do we add cardamom?
DeletePogens were THE best!!!! Thanks for the recipe I have missed them all of these years
ReplyDeleteMy dough was crumbly what did I do wrong?!
ReplyDeleteI don't know. Too much flour?
DeleteLiving on the East Coast these fabulous Pigeons gingersnaps were sold in our local grocery store until one day they were just gone. I would buy 6 bags at a time.
DeleteMany years ago I wrote to the company and got a recipe, but it was not the same when I tried to duplicate them.
Just the other day my son and I were reminiscing about how wonderful they were. A local bakery sells a gingersnap that is close in flavor, but just isn't the same. We do miss these fabulous cookies.
Same here!
DeleteI yet mourn the loss of ginger snap pogens and the chocolate chip pogens! Could only find them at "Boy's Market "...also no longer around. So glad I researched the recipe. Gonna surprise my daughter. They were her favorite cookie when she was a little girl.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I ever tried the Aldi Spekultius cookies, they look a little thick. But I loved Pogens. My mother-in-law knows that I did and she tries to find something like them wherever she shops. The closest she has come (we are not bakers, but maybe we will try) is Nyakers Pepparkakor, a product of Sweden. They are thin and crisp and they taste as close as I can remember, but it has been several years since I've had a Pogen. I believe she gets them at Cost Plus World Market.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in LA and lives Pogens. I've never found anything like them. I'm gonna try your recipe with cardamon. Thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! I loved Pogen’s! IKEA makes a really good knock off called KAFFEREP which I just tried and it took me right back to age 8, trying to break those animals in 3 so I could make a wish! You recipe looks awesome too! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteGood to know about Ikea! If you know you know, right? Good memories.
Delete