These gingerbread crinkle cookies remix the traditional holiday ginger cookie like a boss! They are so soft and chewy y’all. It’s got the OG spices like ginger and molasses but I elevate it with cardamom and lemon flavors. I developed this recipe for the Washington Post cookie issue, and they were a straight up hit boos. You will love them.
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Video Tutorial
How to Make Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, cardamom and salt and whisk until combined. Set aside.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add butter and both sugars and mix for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy.
- Turn speed down to low and add egg yolk, lemon zest and vanilla and mix until well incorporated.
- Add molasses and mix thoroughly then add flour mixture in three increments and mix until just combined. Make sure you scrape the bottom of the bowl making sure to thoroughly combine all ingredients into a cohesive yet soft dough.
- After the dough is complete, tightly cover the bowl and refrigerate for an hour.
- Preheat your oven to 375 F and line a baking sheet with a sheet of parchment and set aside.
- Once the dough has been refrigerated, pour the powdered sugar into a separate bowl.
- Use a tablespoon sized cookie scoop or spoon to measure out dough. Using cold hands, roll it into a ball using your palms. Next, thoroughly roll the cookie ball in powdered sugar and place on the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining dough making sure to space cookies 2 inches a part.
- Bake 1 sheet at a time for 10 to 12 minutes until cookies are puffy and cracked. The centers should still be soft however.
- Cool cookies on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes so they can set, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Repeat steps 8-10 until all cookies are baked and enjoy.
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Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies Recipe
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I’ll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Ingredients
- 2 1/3 cup all purpose flour can go up to 2 1/2 cups if you want a puffier cookie. If you want it flatter, go for the 2 1/4 cups
- 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 6 oz unsalted butter room temperature but still firm to the touch
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 1 egg yolk
- 5 tsp lemon zest from 2 lemons
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup molasses unsulfured
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, cardamom and salt and whisk until combined. Set aside.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add butter and both sugars and mix for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy.
- Turn speed down to low and add egg yolk, lemon zest and vanilla and mix until well incorporated.
- Add molasses and mix thoroughly then add flour mixture in three increments and mix until just combined. Make sure you scrape the bottom of the bowl making sure to thoroughly combine all ingredients into a cohesive yet soft dough.
- After the dough is complete, tightly cover the bowl and refrigerate for an hour.
- Preheat your oven to 375 F and line a baking sheet with a sheet of parchment and set aside.
- Once the dough has been refrigerated, pour the powdered sugar into a separate bowl.
- Use a tablespoon sized cookie scoop or spoon to measure out dough. Using cold hands, roll it into a ball using your palms. Next, thoroughly roll the cookie ball in powdered sugar and place on the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining dough making sure to space cookies 2 inches a part.
- Bake 1 sheet at a time for 10 to 12 minutes until cookies are puffy and cracked. The centers should still be soft however.
- Cool cookies on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes so they can set, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Repeat steps 8-10 until all cookies are baked and enjoy.
Video
Notes
Storage
It’s best to keep these cookies in an airtight container; they will stay fresh for up to a week. If the cookies begin to go stale early, take a slice of sandwich bread and stick it in the container. The moisture from the bread will release and rehydrate the cookies!Nutrition
Recipe Help
Tthese particular crinkle cookies are extra moist so the sugar ends up melting a bit. Not a problem, but if you want stark white confectioners’ sugar on top, coat the cookie dough balls in a little granulated sugar first. Just a light layer– then go heavy on that powdered sugar topping!
Yep of course! To freeze baked cookies, let them cool completely first. Freeze in single layers between sheets of parchment paper for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for about an hour. To freeze the raw cookie dough, chill the cookie dough as directed in the recipe below. After that, roll into balls, and chill the cookie dough balls in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Then, place the solid and cold cookie dough balls into a large zipped-top bag. Freeze cookie dough for up to 3 months. When it’s time to bake the cookies, remove them from the freezer and thaw on the counter for at least 30 minutes. Roll into powdered sugar and bake as directed.
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This is an amazing cookie! We really loved it. I did change one thing though. Instead of the lemon zest, I used orange zest. I really thought the orange flavor went well with the ginger/molasses.
I wish I had read comments before I baked these. Someone mentioned the dough balls should be flattened before baking. I agree. My first sheet did not spread out as I thought they would and I overbaked them in an attempt to bake them all the way through. I then decided on my own to flatten. It was only when I decided to address the problem by posting a comment that I read all the other comments. Taste is good. Would taste great with a hot cup of spiced tea.
I made this recipe as written and ithe cookies are absolutely delicious! This was also easy to put together.
Huge hit with my family and the friends for whom
we made a batch! Got texts from all the moms asking for the recipe. Easy to make, delicious.
I found that you have to flatten the balls down to 1/2” thick because they don’t expand much and it also helps create the with the crinkling effect. I sifted more powdered sugar on the tops once I flattened them because the sugar just melted into the cookie on the first batch so it needs a very thick coat.
The perfect Christmas cookie does exist! These were fun and easy to make, I will definitely be making another batch before the season is over!
I cannot WAIT to make these! They look soooo delicious and I love a good, softie gingerbread cookie 🙂
These look amazing and I want to try them today. Before I start, I just want to double check that there is only an egg yolk and no other egg because the chocolate crinkle ones take three eggs.
Thank you so much for sharing!
Yep there is a lot of molasses that moistens the batter.
I know this wasn’t the intent, but your comment helped me! I realized I was a little short on molasses as I was mixing my dough and the dough ended up really dry. I was just going to go with it until I saw this comment. So I added another egg, and the texture is perfect. We’ll see how they bake up! If they don’t turn out, I will wholly claim user error. 🙂
Thanks for a chewy gingerbread cookie, Jocelyn! I love my gingerbread men, but nothing beats a soft cookie.
I also have been making the chocolate version for years. I always cut sugar almost in half, Especially with older recipes.
Does anyone have a comment about the sweetness of these? Should I just bake as directed or cut the sugar back? Thank you and happy holiday baking.
My new favorite gingerbread recipe! So easy, and I really love the touch of lemon to make these feel even more special. Now the task of not eating them all myself!