Soft Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies (Printable)

Soft spiced cookies with molasses, warm spices, and snowy powdered sugar coating. A classic holiday favorite.

# What You'll 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 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 - Mix in molasses, egg, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture, beating until smooth and fully incorporated.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined and a uniform dough forms.
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 coated balls 2 inches apart on the 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 a wire rack to finish cooling.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The crinkle effect makes these look like you spent hours on them, but the dough comes together in minutes
  • That molasses depth keeps them soft for days, assuming they last that long
02 -
  • Chilling the dough is mandatory, not optional. I once skipped this step and ended up with flat, sad pancakes.
  • The double sugar coating is what creates the crackle effect. The granulated sugar layer prevents the powdered sugar from completely melting into the dough.
03 -
  • If your granulated sugar coating is too thick, the powdered sugar will not stick as well. A quick dip is all you need.
  • Room temperature ingredients make a noticeable difference in how the dough comes together. Plan ahead and set everything out an hour before baking.

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