The smell of gingerbread has always meant something special to me—a warm hug after a busy day, a little festive magic in the kitchen. When I started baking these Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies, they quickly became my go-to for cozy, no-fail holiday treats. They’re perfectly chewy with those snowy, cracked tops I just love, and they’re so simple that even beginners can bake them with confidence.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love These Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies
- Perfect Chewy Texture: These cookies are chewy, tender, and never dry or cakey, just like the classic gingerbread cookies I loved growing up.
- Rich, Spicy Flavor: The blend of ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom creates a warm, inviting spice profile that sets these apart.
- Guaranteed Crinkles: The powdered sugar coating and chilling method ensure those classic snowy cracks every time.
- Easy & Foolproof: The recipe uses simple steps with no complicated techniques, perfect for busy home bakers wanting quick, satisfying results.
The Secret Behind Those Crinkles
You might wonder how those gorgeous crinkle patterns form. It’s all about the magic happening on the cookie’s surface during baking. When you roll the dough balls in powdered sugar, that sugar coating dries and sets quickly in the hot oven. Meanwhile, the cookie dough inside softens and puffs up, spreading outward. As it expands, the hardened sugary exterior cracks open, creating those distinctive crinkles. Understanding this little science trick helps you bake with confidence and get those beautiful results every time.
Ingredients
- Molasses (Unsulphured): This adds moisture, chewiness, and that unmistakable deep gingerbread flavor. Unsulphured molasses tastes smoother and less bitter than blackstrap, which is more intense and less sweet.
- Dark Brown Sugar: Provides extra moisture to keep cookies soft and adds subtle caramel notes that balance the spices.
- Spices (Ginger, Cinnamon, Cardamom): This trio creates the warm, complex flavor you expect from gingerbread cookies—bright, spicy, and comforting.
- Unsalted Butter: Using unsalted butter allows full control of salt content. If you only have salted butter, reduce the recipe’s salt to 1/4 teaspoon to avoid over-salting.
How To Make Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, cardamom, and salt until fully mixed. Set this aside for now.
Cream Butter and Sugars: In your stand mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter and both sugars. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and paler in color.
Add Egg Yolk and Flavorings: Turn the mixer speed down to low. Add the egg yolk, lemon zest, and vanilla. Mix until completely incorporated.
Incorporate Molasses and Flour: Add the molasses and mix thoroughly. Then add the flour mixture in three increments, mixing each addition just until combined. Scrape the bowl bottom to ensure all ingredients form a soft, cohesive dough.
Chill the Dough: Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for one hour. This step is vital to prevent spreading during baking and to deepen the cookie’s flavor.
Prepare for Baking: Preheat your oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roll Cookies in Sugar: Pour the powdered sugar into a separate bowl. Using a tablespoon-sized scoop, measure out dough. With cold hands, roll it into a ball, then roll each ball thoroughly in powdered sugar. Place them spaced 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
Bake: Bake one sheet at a time for 10 to 12 minutes. The cookies should puff up and crack, with centers still soft.
Cool on Baking Sheet: Let cookies cool for at least 5 minutes on the sheet to set before transferring to a wire rack.
Repeat & Enjoy: Continue this process until all cookie dough is baked, then enjoy your warm, perfectly crinkled gingerbread cookies!
Pro Tips for Crinkly, Chewy Perfection
Tips for Maximum Crinkles
Try the “Double Sugar Roll” technique for even brighter crinkles: first roll your dough balls in granulated sugar, then follow with a coating of powdered sugar. The granulated sugar forms a moisture barrier that helps keep the powdered sugar bright white and prevents it from melting too soon.
Tips for a Soft and Chewy Texture
- Avoid overmixing the flour to keep sugar cookies tender.
- Use room temperature ingredients to ensure smooth mixing.
- Slightly underbake the cookies so the centers remain soft and chewy.
General Baking Success
- Use a cookie scoop for uniform size, which helps with even baking.
- Bake one sheet at a time to maintain consistent oven temperature and perfect cookie texture.
Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies Variations
| Version | Substitutions |
|---|---|
| Gluten-Free | Replace all-purpose flour with 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend containing xanthan gum. |
| Vegan | Use vegan butter sticks instead of unsalted butter and substitute the egg yolk with a flax egg (1 tbsp flaxseed meal + 3 tbsp water, mixed and rested). |
Quick Fixes: Crinkles, Spread, and Shine
- My cookies spread too much and are flat.
Cause: Dough wasn’t chilled long enough or butter was too soft.
Solution: Chill dough for at least 1 hour and use firm room temperature butter. - My powdered sugar melted and disappeared.
Cause: Dough was too warm when rolled or powdered sugar coating was too thin.
Solution: Use chilled dough and roll generously in powdered sugar. Try the double-roll method (granulated sugar first, then powdered). - My cookies didn’t crinkle.
Cause: Oven temperature too low or dough balls not well coated.
Solution: Preheat oven properly and ensure thorough powdered sugar coating.
Storing and Freezing Gingerbread Crinkles
Store cooled gingerbread crinkle cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze baked cookies in a sealed container for up to 3 months.
To freeze unbaked dough, form dough balls and freeze them on a tray until firm; then transfer to a freezer-safe bag. Bake frozen dough balls directly from the freezer, adding a few extra minutes to baking time.
Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, cardamom, and salt; set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat butter with granulated and brown sugars on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Reduce speed to low and mix in the egg yolk, lemon zest, and vanilla until combined.
- Mix in molasses, then add the dry ingredients in three additions, scraping the bowl; mix just until a soft dough forms.
- Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place powdered sugar in a small bowl for coating.
- Scoop tablespoon portions, roll into balls with cold hands, coat thoroughly in powdered sugar, and arrange 2 inches apart on the prepared sheet.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 10–12 minutes until cookies are puffed and cracked with soft centers.
- Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Repeat scooping, coating, baking, and cooling with remaining dough; enjoy.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between unsulphured molasses and blackstrap? Can I use blackstrap?
Unsulphured molasses is smoother and sweeter, perfect for cookies. Blackstrap is stronger and more bitter, less suited for this recipe.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes, the dough can be refrigerated overnight or frozen as dough balls.
How do I double this recipe?
Simply multiply all ingredients by two. Use a larger mixing bowl and bake in batches, one sheet at a time.
Do I have to use a stand mixer?
No, you can use a hand mixer or mix by hand, but the stand mixer makes creaming the butter and sugar much easier.
