Soft Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies (Print Version)

Soft, spiced cookies with festive crinkles and powdered sugar coating. Perfect holiday treat.

# 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 Make:

01 - Whisk together flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl until evenly 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 the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined and no dry streaks remain.
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 in powdered sugar until completely covered.
09 - Place the sugar-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 cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The cracked sugar coating makes these look like you spent hours on them when theyre actually incredibly simple
  • They stay soft for days, making them perfect for gift boxes or holiday plates
  • The combination of molasses and five different spices creates that deep gingerbread flavor we all crave
02 -
  • The chilling step is not optional, so do not try to skip it or your cookies will spread too much and lose their crinkle pattern
  • Roll the dough balls generously in powdered sugar because thin spots will not crack as dramatically
  • These cookies continue to firm up as they cool, so removing them while they still feel slightly soft is crucial
03 -
  • If your kitchen is particularly warm, chill the dough between batches to keep the balls from getting sticky and hard to roll
  • Add a tiny pinch of black pepper to the dry ingredients for a subtle warmth that makes people wonder what your secret ingredient is

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