Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies For The Holiday Cookie Swap Recipe

I finally nailed my Gingerbread Crackle Cookies, and I reveal the single little swap that produces that signature powdered-sugar crackle.

I brought these Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies to a holiday cookie swap and honestly I didnt expect them to vanish so fast. The warm spice of ground ginger and the snowlike dust of powdered sugar give each cookie that irresistible crackle, kind of like a tiny festival on your plate.

They fit right into any Baking Holiday table and somehow steal the show at a Crinkle Cookies Christmas exchange. I’ll admit I mess up the rolling sometimes, but that imperfect crackle is part of the charm, and people always ask for the recipe even when I try to play it cool.

Ingredients

• Gives structure, mostly carbs, low fibre and protein, creates tender crumb.
• Adds richness and moisture, it’s mostly fat, makes cookies spread and brown.
• Sweetens, gives crisp edges and caramelization, simple carbs, no fibre.
• Adds molassesy depth, keeps cookies chewy, adds moisture and slight acidity.
• Strong spice partner, deep bittersweet taste, rich in minerals, bold flavor.
• Binds ingredients, adds protein and moisture, helps rise and texture.
• Spices give warmth and bite, tiny antioxidants, big nostalgic holiday smell.
• Leavening, reacts with brown sugar and egg for lift and crinkly tops.
• Creates crinkled snowlike look, adds delicate sweetness, melts into cookie surface.

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 1/4 cups (280 g) all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed (110 g) dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) molasses
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar for rolling

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats, set an oven rack in the middle position.

2. In a medium bowl whisk together 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until evenly mixed.

3. In a large bowl cream 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter with 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar until light and a bit fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes; beat in 1/2 cup molasses, 1 large egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until combined. If your molasses is thick, warm it 10 seconds in the microwave so it mixes easier.

4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two additions, stirring until just combined, don’t overmix or the cookies will get tough; the dough should be slightly firm but scoopable. If it feels too soft, chill 30 to 60 minutes, it helps control spreading and gives prettier crackles.

5. Scoop dough into roughly 1 to 1 1/4 tablespoon balls using a scoop or two spoons, roll each into a smooth ball with your hands. Wetting your hands lightly can stop sticking, and try to make all balls the same size for even baking.

6. Put 1/2 cup powdered sugar in a shallow bowl and roll each dough ball in the sugar until well coated, for extra snowy look roll them twice. For bigger cracks chill the coated balls 10 to 15 minutes before baking.

7. Place the sugar coated balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets, press each ball down slightly so they are about 3/4 inch thick, then bake in the preheated oven for 9 to 11 minutes, until edges are set and tops are crackled but centers still look a touch soft.

8. Remove the sheet from the oven and let cookies rest on it for 4 to 5 minutes so they firm up, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely; if the powdered sugar melts a little during baking, dust a bit more on while warm.

9. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to a week, pop a slice of bread in the container to keep them soft if you like, or freeze baked cookies up to 3 months. You can also freeze the raw scooped balls on a tray and bag them for fresh baking later.

10. Quick tips: use packed dark brown sugar and real molasses for deep, spicy flavor, don’t overbake if you want chewy centers, room temperature butter creams better, and chilling dough is your friend when you want neat round crinkles and not pancake cookies.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (set to 350°F) and a middle oven rack, preheated before baking
2. Two baking sheets plus parchment paper or silicone baking mats
3. Medium bowl and large bowl for dry and wet ingredients
4. Electric mixer or a sturdy wooden spoon if you wanna do it by hand
5. Whisk for the dry mix and measuring spoons for spices and baking soda
6. Measuring cups for flour/sugars and a kitchen scale if you want extra precision
7. Cookie scoop (about 1 to 1 1/4 tablespoon) or two spoons to form balls
8. Shallow bowl for powdered sugar, rubber spatula to scrape the bowl, and a wire cooling rack

FAQ

Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies For The Holiday Cookie Swap Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• All purpose flour: Swap with whole wheat pastry flour, use the same amount but the cookies might be a bit denser, chill the dough to keep them from spreading. Or use a gluten free 1 to 1 baking blend, measure by weight if you can, and let the dough rest a few minutes so it hydrates.
• Unsalted butter: Use solid coconut oil at the same volume for a dairy free option, expect a slight coconut note and a crisper edge. Or use a vegan stick margarine, same amount, it mimics butter best for texture.
• Dark brown sugar: Replace with light brown sugar at equal weight or volume, flavor will be a touch milder. Or try coconut sugar 1 to 1 for a less molassesy caramel note, cookies will be a little less moist.
• One large egg: For vegan swap use a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water, wait 5 minutes) or 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce, both hold moisture but the texture will be slightly different.

Pro Tips

1) Weigh or spoon and level your flour instead of scooping straight from the bag, otherwise the dough can get dry and the cookies will spread weirdly. If you have a scale just use the 280 g, way less guesswork.

2) Warm the molasses a few seconds or set the jar in warm water so it pours and mixes smoothly, especially with cold or firmer molasses. If it stays thick you end up overmixing trying to incorporate it.

3) Chill the dough when it feels soft, and for bigger, prettier cracks chill the powdered-sugar-coated balls for 10 to 15 minutes before baking. Chilling also concentrates the spices so the flavor gets better.

4) Don’t overbake; pull them when the edges are set but centers still look soft. Let them rest on the hot sheet for 4 or 5 minutes so they finish cooking without drying out, then move to a rack.

5) For best storage and texture pop a slice of bread in the cookie tin to keep them soft, or freeze scooped raw balls on a tray then bag them so you can bake fresh batches anytime.