Print

Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies for the Holiday Cookie Swap

Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies for the Holiday Cookie Swap
Print Recipe

Delight your friends this holiday season with these soft and chewy Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies, featuring a perfect balance of warm spices and a charming powdered sugar crackle. Ideal for cookie swaps or festive gifting, this easy-to-make recipe captures classic gingerbread flavors with a tender texture and beautiful presentation.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or gluten-free blend for gluten-free version)
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (or coconut oil for vegan version)
  • 1 1/4 cups brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 cup molasses (substitute with dark corn syrup or maple syrup if needed)
  • 1 large egg (or 1 flax egg for vegan version)

Coating

  • 1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, and salt until fully combined. This ensures even distribution of spices in every bite.
  2. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use a mixer to cream the unsalted butter with the brown sugar until fluffy and light-colored, creating a tender cookie crumb.
  3. Add Molasses and Egg: Mix in the molasses and egg thoroughly until the batter is smooth and shiny with a deep amber hue, adding moisture and rich flavor.
  4. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain softness.
  5. Chill the Dough: Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour to solidify it, making it easier to handle and helping form clean crinkles when baked.
  6. Form and Coat Cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Scoop tablespoons of chilled dough, roll into balls, then generously coat each in powdered sugar to achieve the classic crinkle effect.
  7. Bake: Place coated dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are firm and cracks appear on top. Let cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack.

Notes

  • Use fresh spices (less than six months old) for the best flavor.
  • Chill the dough thoroughly to prevent cookies from spreading too much and to achieve perfect crinkles.
  • Use a cookie scoop for evenly sized dough balls ensuring consistent baking.
  • Do not overbake; remove cookies when edges are set but centers remain soft.
  • For extra snowy appearance, roll cookies twice in powdered sugar before baking.

Nutrition

Keywords: gingerbread cookies, holiday cookies, crinkle cookies, gluten-free gingerbread, festive cookies, molasses cookies

Find it online: https://homemademealz.com/gingerbread-crinkle-cookies-for-the-holiday-cookie-swap/