Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies (Printable Version)

Soft, spiced gingerbread cookies with festive crinkle appearance and powdered sugar coating.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 tsp baking soda
03 - 2 tsp ground ginger
04 - 1 tsp ground cinnamon
05 - 1/4 tsp ground cloves
06 - 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
07 - 1/4 tsp salt

→ Wet Ingredients

08 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
09 - 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
10 - 1/4 cup unsulphured molasses
11 - 1 large egg
12 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ For Rolling

13 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
14 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar)

# Directions:

01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt until well combined.
02 - In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, approximately 2–3 minutes.
03 - Add molasses, egg, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Beat until thoroughly incorporated and smooth.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined and a cohesive dough forms.
05 - Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up for easier handling.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of chilled dough and roll each into a smooth ball.
08 - Roll each ball first in granulated sugar, then generously coat with powdered sugar until thoroughly covered.
09 - Place the coated balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets to allow for spreading.
10 - Bake for 10–12 minutes, until cookies are set but still slightly soft in the center.
11 - Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Quick Tips:

01 -
  • The crackled sugar coating makes these look like you spent hours on something magical
  • They stay soft for days in an airtight container, getting even more flavorful
  • The dough chills beautifully, so you can bake fresh cookies all week
02 -
  • Chilling the dough is non negotiable, otherwise the cookies will spread too thin and lose their crinkle
  • The double sugar coating technique is what creates those dramatic cracks as the cookies bake
03 -
  • Use room temperature ingredients to ensure the dough comes together smoothly
  • Don't skip the granulated sugar first coating, it's the secret to perfect crackles

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