Soft Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies (Printable version)

Soft, spiced holiday treats with a festive crinkle appearance and sweet powdered sugar coating.

# What You'll 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 (confectioners' sugar)

# Directions:

01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt until evenly blended.
02 - In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar together using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 2–3 minutes.
03 - Add molasses, egg, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Beat until thoroughly combined and smooth.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just incorporated. Avoid overmixing.
05 - Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes to firm up for easier handling.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
07 - Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of chilled dough and roll each portion between your palms to form smooth balls.
08 - Roll each dough ball first in granulated sugar to create a base layer, then generously coat in powdered sugar until completely covered.
09 - Place the sugar-coated balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets to allow for spreading during baking.
10 - Bake for 10–12 minutes until the cookies are set on the edges but still slightly soft in the center.
11 - Let the cookies rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • The crackled exterior gives way to an impossibly soft, chewy center that feels like a warm hug
  • Theyre actually foolproof even if youre convinced you cant bake
02 -
  • That chilling step is absolutely critical for the crackle effect
  • The double sugar coating creates those beautiful white fissures as the cookies spread
03 -
  • Let the granulated sugar coating set for about 30 seconds before rolling in powdered sugar
  • Room temperature dough spreads too much and loses those dramatic cracks

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