Description
Irresistible gingerbread crinkle cookies blend warm holiday spices with festive powdered sugar coatings. Christmas baking brings joy as sweet, spicy treats melt in your mouth and spark seasonal memories.
Ingredients
Scale
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (150 g) brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup (60 ml) molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
Instructions
- Dry Ingredient Preparation: Combine flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl, whisking thoroughly to distribute spices evenly.
- Wet Ingredient Fusion: Cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy, then blend in molasses, egg, and vanilla extract until the mixture becomes smooth and homogeneous.
- Dough Composition: Merge dry and wet ingredients, stirring until just combined. Wrap the dough and refrigerate for 2 hours to enhance flavor profile and firm up the mixture.
- Preheating and Setup: Heat oven to 350F and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats for optimal baking conditions.
- Cookie Formation: Roll chilled dough into small spheres, first coating in granulated sugar, then generously dusting with powdered sugar to create the signature crinkle effect.
- Baking Process: Place sugar-coated dough balls on prepared sheets, spacing them apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are set and surfaces develop characteristic crackled appearance.
- Cooling and Finishing: Let cookies rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, allowing them to achieve perfect texture and consistency.
Notes
- Control Moisture Carefully: Keep dough chilled for at least 2 hours to prevent excessive spreading and ensure perfect crinkle texture during baking.
- Sugar Coating Technique: Roll dough balls first in granulated sugar, then heavily coat with powdered sugar to create signature crackled exterior and prevent sticking.
- Spice Balance Matters: Use fresh, high-quality ground spices to enhance the warm, aromatic flavor profile of the gingerbread cookies.
- Bake with Precision: Watch cookies closely during 10-12 minute baking window, aiming for slightly soft centers and crackled surface without over-browning edges.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 23
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 75 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg