These gingerbread crinkle cookies are the perfect holiday treat. Packed with flavor in every bite and so easy to make, you’ll be wondering where they’ve been all your life.
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I’m sharing my absolute favorite Christmas crinkle cookies recipe with all of you so you can bring these sweets into your own kitchen and lives. With any luck, you’ll be as hooked on these cookies as we have been and you’ll want to make them every year.
These soft and chewy cookies are a perfect blend of spices, flavor, and sweet, sugary goodness in every bite. Coated in a dusting of powdered sugar on the outside every cookie looks like it had fun with some freshly fallen snow. Making them perfect for winter.
You’re going to love everything about these cookies from the easy, no-chill dough to the fast baking times and more. Every step is simple and quick making these a perfect last-minute treat to take to a holiday party. Of course they're always great for holiday cookie exchanges too because every batch makes a decent amount of cookies to share.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Ground ginger
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground cloves
- Cooking oil (like Canola or Vegetable)
- Granulated sugar
- Molasses
- Eggs
- Orange zest
- Vanilla extract
- Maple extract
- Powdered sugar
For the exact measurements and amounts needed, make sure to check out the recipe card below.
How to Make Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, salt, and spices.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, molasses, oil, eggs, vanilla, and maple extracts as well as the orange zest until combined.
- Stir in the dry flour mixture until incorporated.
- Scoop the dough out by the rounded 2-tablespoonfuls and then gently toss them into the powdered sugar to coat.
- Repeat rolling and dusting in powdered sugar until there are 8 ready to bake cookies on the baking sheet. Make sure that the cookies are evenly spaced.
- Bake in the oven for 9-11 minutes or until the edges and tops all look set.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for five minutes before removing them to allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack.
Substitutes
- Extracts: If you don’t have maple extract on hand you can simply use all vanilla extract instead for this recipe. The flavors won’t be as grand as if you had maple extract but it will still taste pretty darn good.
Recipe Tips
- More sugar. For an extra fresh appearance, you can always add a second layer of powdered sugar to the cookies after they have been baked and cooled. This is totally optional and not even needed, but it does give the cookies a “whiter” appearance.
- Storage. These cookies will last for up to a week if kept stored in an airtight container at room temperature. That said, they will taste best if eaten within 2 or 3 days, so make sure to enjoy them when fresh. Storing in the fridge will not prolong the shelflife and could cause the cookies to feel a bit “dry” so it’s not recommended to keep them stored in there unless necessary.
- Freezing. You can freeze these cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months before thawing and eating. Keep in mind that the powdered sugar coating will dissolve (melt) as the cookies thaw thanks to the added moisture, so adding another layer of powdered sugar to the cookies before serving is recommended.
FAQs
This is because our cookies are either really warm or still moist, both of which aren’t a bad thing. That said there is a fun trick to getting a more vibrant powdered sugar coating. Simply roll the dough balls in granulated sugar and then roll in powdered sugar before baking. The granulated sugar absorbs the moisture so that the powdered sugar stays more vibrant.
You will know because the cookies will feel slightly firm around the edges and appear set and not shiny in the cracks. Not only that but the internal temperature will read 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.
Crinkle cookies require a thick dough usually achieved by chilling the dough. While we don’t chill the dough in this recipe, you may find that you need to. Some reasons would include if it’s extra warm where you are and the butter is too soft. When butter is too soft, the dough is too wet and sticky, not good for rolling into balls and baking as the dough will spread. If this happens to you, chill your bowl of dough for 30 minutes before continuing.
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Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- ½ cup oil
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup molasses
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspooon maple extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder, and spices.
- Whisk together the sugar, molasses, oil, eggs, vanilla extract, maple extract, and orange zest.
- Stir in the dry ingredients until evenly and well combined.
- Roll two tablespoons of dough into a ball and toss into the powdered sugar.
- Repeat until the sheet tray has 8 balls of dough evenly spaced.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes, until the edges and the tops are set.
- Let cool on the sheet tray 5 minutes. Remove from sheet tray and cool completely.
Alli
Simple and easy.
Aislinn
Fragrant and delicious! Came together quickly and easily, though the dough was very soft and sticky to roll. My only disappointment was the recipe did not come close to making 32 cookies as advertised. I carefully measured out two Tblsp of dough for each cookie to make sure I had enough and was short 10 cookies 🙁
Alli
Hi Aislinn, the dough should be rolled for this recipe, it is a sticky dough and should be scooped per the directions. That will probably help with the number of cookies.