Gingerbread Crackle Cookies — Soft, Spiced Christmas Treats
Soft, chewy gingerbread cookies with a rich molasses base and a festive crinkled powdered sugar coating — perfect for cookie swaps and holiday cheer.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (+ chill time)
- Cook Time: 10–12 minutes
- Total Time: 2.5 hours
- Yield: 30–36 cookies 1x
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp each cloves, nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup molasses
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Granulated sugar (optional, for rolling)
- Powdered sugar (for rolling)
Instructions
- Whisk flour, leaveners, and spices in a bowl.
- Cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add egg, molasses, and vanilla; mix until smooth.
- Stir in dry ingredients to form dough. Chill 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment.
- Scoop dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar (optional), then powdered sugar.
- Bake 10–12 minutes until crinkled and set. Cool 5 minutes on tray, then transfer to rack.
Notes
Chill dough for best crinkle effect. Store in airtight container up to 5 days or freeze for 1 month.