Soft Spiced Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies (Printable version)

Soft, spiced cookies with molasses, ginger, and cinnamon. Rolled in powdered sugar for a festive crinkle effect. Ideal holiday baking.

# What you 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

# How To:

01 - Whisk together flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined.
02 - Beat butter and brown sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 2–3 minutes.
03 - Incorporate molasses, egg, and vanilla extract into the butter mixture, beating until smooth and homogeneous.
04 - Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until fully incorporated. Do not overmix.
05 - Cover bowl and refrigerate dough for a minimum of 30 minutes to firm up for easier handling.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of chilled dough and roll each into smooth balls.
08 - Roll each dough ball first in granulated sugar, then generously coat in powdered sugar until thoroughly covered.
09 - Place 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 - Let cookies rest on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The crinkle top makes these look like you spent hours on them, though the rolling process takes minutes
  • They stay chewy for days, making them perfect for gift boxes or midnight kitchen raids
02 -
  • Chilling the dough is mandatory; warm dough creates flat, sad cookies instead of puffy crinkled ones
  • Rolling in granulated sugar first creates a barrier that helps the powdered sugar stick better and look brighter
03 -
  • If your kitchen is warm, chill the baking sheets for 10 minutes before adding the dough balls
  • The molasses measurement can be tricky; spray your measuring cup with cooking spray first for easy pouring

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