Soft Spiced Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies (Printable version)

Soft, spiced cookies with warm ginger and cinnamon flavors, coated in powdered sugar for a festive crinkle finish.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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)

# How to Make It:

01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt until evenly combined.
02 - In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
03 - Add molasses, egg, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Beat until smooth and fully incorporated.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
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 in powdered sugar until completely coated.
09 - Place the sugar-coated balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
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.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The crackled sugar coating makes these look like they came from a fancy bakery even though they are ridiculously simple to make
  • They stay soft for days which is basically a Christmas miracle in cookie form
02 -
  • Chilling the dough is not optional, warm dough spreads too much and you lose that thick chewy center
  • The double sugar coating creates the crinkle effect, powdered sugar alone absorbs into the dough and disappears
03 -
  • Use a cookie scoop for uniform sizing so they all bake at the same rate
  • Let the baking sheets cool completely between batches or the dough starts melting before it hits the oven

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