Soft Spiced Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies (Printable Version)

Soft spiced cookies with crackled powdered sugar coating, perfect for holidays.

# What You Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 2 teaspoons ground ginger
04 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
05 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
06 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
07 - 1/4 teaspoon 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 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ For Rolling

13 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
14 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar

# How-To Steps:

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 together in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
03 - Add molasses, egg, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Beat until smooth and fully incorporated.
04 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing until just combined and dough forms.
05 - Cover 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 ball.
08 - Roll each ball first in granulated sugar, then generously coat in powdered sugar until fully covered.
09 - Place 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 - Let cookies rest on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The crinkle tops make them look like you bought them from a fancy bakery
  • They stay soft for days, unlike other gingerbread that turns into a hockey puck
  • The double sugar coating creates this magical crackle effect as they bake
02 -
  • Chilling the dough is not optional, warm dough will spread into flat puddles instead of forming those beautiful crackles
  • The molasses matters, using the lighter stuff will give you a completely different cookie that lacks depth
  • Underbaking slightly is the secret to keeping them soft for days instead of turning into gingerbricks
03 -
  • If your kitchen is particularly warm, chill the baking sheets for 10 minutes before putting the cookies in the oven
  • Use a cookie scoop for uniform size so they all bake at the same rate

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