Description
These Soft and Spiced Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies are a delightful holiday treat with warm spices and a sweet molasses depth. They feature a tender, chewy texture with a crackled powdered sugar coating that adds a festive look and a touch of sweetness.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup molasses
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For Coating
- Powdered sugar, for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt until well combined and evenly distributed.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a separate large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened unsalted butter and packed brown sugar together until the mixture is fluffy and light in color, creating a smooth base for your cookies.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg, molasses, and vanilla extract into the creamed butter and sugar mixture until fully combined, ensuring a homogeneous batter.
- Combine Dry and Wet Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet mixture, stirring gently just until the dough comes together. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies soft.
- Form and Coat Dough Balls: Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll them in powdered sugar, coating entirely to give the cookies their signature crackled tops.
- Bake Cookies: Arrange the coated dough balls spaced apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, until the cookies have spread, cracked on top, and the edges begin to set.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the cookies to cool completely on the sheet before transferring to a wire rack or serving. This helps them set properly and maintain softness.
Notes
- For best results, use fresh ground spices to enhance the flavor.
- Do not overbake; the cookies should be soft in the middle.
- Storing cookies in an airtight container will maintain their softness for several days.
- Molasses can be substituted with dark corn syrup if needed, but molasses gives the authentic flavor.
- Chilling dough for 15-30 minutes before rolling can help reduce spreading if desired.
