Soft and Spiced Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies
These irresistible holiday cookies feature a soft, chewy interior packed with warming ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, all wrapped in a beautiful crackled coating of powdered sugar. Perfect for cookie exchanges, gifting, or enjoying with a warm beverage during the festive season.
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened (room temperature)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup unsulphured molasses not blackstrap, which is too bitter
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup granulated sugar for rolling
- 1 cup powdered sugar for coating
Instructions
- Prepare your workspace and ingredients. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside two shallow bowls—one with ½ cup granulated sugar and another with powdered sugar for coating.
- Mix the dry ingredients thoroughly. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt until well combined. This ensures even distribution of spices and leavening agents.
- Cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with the granulated and brown sugars using an electric mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until the mixture becomes pale and fluffy. This creates tiny air pockets for a tender cookie.
- Add the wet ingredients one at a time. Beat in the molasses, then the egg and vanilla extract, mixing well after each addition. The mixture may look slightly curdled—this is normal!
- Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients. With your mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until no dry streaks remain. Over-mixing will result in tough cookies.
- Chill the dough briefly if it feels too sticky. If your kitchen is warm, place the dough in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes until it’s firm enough to handle but still pliable.
- Shape the cookies using a scoop or spoon. Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, portion the dough into 1½-inch balls. Roll each ball in granulated sugar first, then generously coat in powdered sugar, ensuring they’re completely covered.
- Arrange cookies with room to spread. Place the coated dough balls on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart, as they will expand during baking.
- Bake until perfectly crinkled. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cookies have spread and developed distinctive cracks across the surface. The centers should appear slightly underdone—they’ll firm up as they cool.
- Cool properly for the best texture. Allow cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will continue to set as they cool.
Notes
- The key to perfect crinkles is generous coating with powdered sugar. Don’t skimp!
- For maximum flavor, make the cookie dough up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate. This allows the spices to fully develop.
- Store cookies in an airtight container with a slice of bread to maintain moisture and softness for up to 5 days.
- For a more intense molasses flavor, substitute dark brown sugar for the light brown sugar.
- Rolling in granulated sugar before the powdered sugar helps prevent the powdered sugar from absorbing into the cookie during baking.