pin it
Get ready to fall in love with these irresistible Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies. They're everything wonderful about the holidays wrapped up in one perfect treat with warming spices a chewy center and that gorgeous powdered sugar coating. Whether you're cozied up with a cup of tea or sharing them at a holiday party these cookies bring pure joy in every bite.
What Makes These Cookies Special
There's something magical about these cookies. They're easy to whip up but look so impressive with their crackly sugar coating. I love how versatile they are perfect for gifting holiday cookie exchanges or just filling your home with that incredible gingerbread aroma. Once you try them they'll become part of your holiday baking tradition.
Everything You'll Need
- All-Purpose Flour: This gives our cookies that perfect structure not too soft not too firm.
- Brown Sugar: Brings moisture and rich sweetness essential for that classic gingerbread taste.
- Ground Ginger: The star of the show giving us that wonderful warm spicy kick.
- Ground Cinnamon: Adds such lovely warmth working perfectly with the ginger.
- Molasses: Creates that deep rich flavor and beautiful dark color.
- Vanilla Extract: Balances everything out with its sweet subtle notes.
- Unsalted Butter: Makes everything rich and tender.
- Milk: Brings the dough together beautifully.
Let's Make Some Cookies
- Start with the Dough
- First cream together your butter brown sugar and molasses until it's light and fluffy then mix in those dry ingredients and milk until you've got perfect dough.
- Time to Chill
- Roll your dough into balls give them a good coating of both sugars then let them chill out in the fridge for at least an hour.
- Into the Oven
- Place those sugar coated balls on your lined baking sheet give them a gentle press and bake at 350°F until they're just set around the edges but still soft in the middle about 10 to 12 minutes.
- Cool Down
- Let them rest on the baking sheet for 10 minutes then move to a rack to cool completely.
My Best Tips
Don't skip that chilling step it's crucial for getting those perfect crinkles. Using a cookie scoop makes sure all your cookies are the same size. That double sugar coating might seem like overkill but trust me it creates the most beautiful crackly effect. And always start with a hot oven for even baking.
Keep Them Fresh
These beauties stay fresh for up to a week in an airtight container at room temperature. Need to store them longer? Freeze them in a single layer then pop them in a freezer bag. They'll thaw beautifully whenever you need a cookie fix.
Common Questions
That chilling time really is important it keeps the cookies from spreading too much and helps create those beautiful crinkles. I recommend unsulphured molasses for the best flavor and yes you really do need both sugar coatings for the prettiest cookies. Feel free to play around with the recipe though baking should be fun.
pin it
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Why chill the dough?
- Chilling the dough prevents cookies from spreading too much during baking and helps maintain the crinkle pattern. At least one hour of chilling is required.
- → Why roll in both granulated and powdered sugar?
- The granulated sugar helps the powdered sugar adhere better to the cookie, creating a more distinct crinkle pattern as the cookies bake.
- → Can I make these ahead?
- Yes, you can prepare the dough and chill overnight, or freeze the shaped, uncoated cookies for up to 3 months. Roll in sugar just before baking.
- → What type of molasses should I use?
- Use unsulphured molasses for the best flavor. Avoid blackstrap molasses as it can be too bitter for these cookies.
- → Why press down the cookies?
- Pressing down helps create an even thickness and ensures the cookies bake uniformly. It also helps develop the classic crinkle pattern.