Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies are soft and delicious crinkle cookies with the classic gingerbread flavor and rolled in confectioners’ sugar for added sweetness. For another cookie packed with ginger spice and cinnamon, try my Soft Ginger Cookie.
Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies
These cookies are soft and chewy cookies with cracks that crinkle cookies are known for. They are full of the spices that give you that gingerbread flavor and the confectioners’ sugar adds some extra sweetness to the cookies. And, there is no cutting out Gingerbread man shapes with this recipe.
Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies Recipe
These cookies are a holiday favorite, but I love them any time of the year. They are not hard to make and bake in about 10 minutes. A few simple, yet so important ingredients, will ensure that your crinkle cookies are perfection!
Molasses –There are several types of molasses, each with slightly different properties. Generally speaking, molasses is a thick syrup that is often used as a sweetener. It is a byproduct of the sugar-making process, and it comes from crushed sugar cane or sugar beets.
Cloves, Ginger, and Cinnamon – These spices simply scream “holidays” to me! And they each add something special to these simple crinkle cookies.
Brown Sugar – I love what brown sugar does to cookies, especially paired with molasses.
Crinkle Cookie Dough
It’s all about the cracked top and chewy texture in these cookies. To get started, use a handheld mixer to cream together the butter and brown sugar. On low, add the egg and molasses. Mix for about 30 seconds to incorporate. Then, turn the mixer to medium-high and blend until smooth.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cloves, ginger, and cinnamon. Slowly add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture, mixing on low. After all the ingredients have been combined, it’s time to get the dough into balls, rolled in sugar, and baked!
How to Make Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies
Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and set each on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. You may want to chill the dough before rolling it into the sugar. This makes each dough ball easier to handle.
Roll each ball of dough into a plate or bowl of confectioners’ sugar, completely covering the dough ball with sugar. Place on the lined baking sheet. Keep them about 2 inches apart. Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes. Let them cool to room temperature before serving.
Optional- Sprinkle a little extra confectioners sugar over the cookies after they bake!
Can I Freeze Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies?
Yes, you can freeze the dough or the cookies after they have been baked. To freeze the dough, prepare the recipe as directed then scoop into the balls. Coat in the confectioners’ sugar and then place on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, place all of the dough balls into a freezer-safe plastic bag, label it, then store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw dough balls on a cookie sheet in a single layer for about an hour before baking.
Looking for More Cookie Recipes?
Red Velvet Peanut Butter Crinkle Cookies
Soft Batch White Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookies
Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies

Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (1 1/2 sticks or 170g) butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) brown sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ¼ cup molasses
- 2½ cups (312.5g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup (125g) confectioners' sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, cream together butter and brown sugar.
- Turn the mixer to low and add in the egg and molasses. Mix for about 30 seconds to incorporate, then turn the mixer to medium-high and blend until light and fluffy.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cloves, ginger, and cinnamon.
- Add the flour mixture, 1/3 at a time, to the molasses mixture, beating until combined.
- Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Set on the lined baking sheet.
- Pour confectioners' sugar onto a small plate or bowl.
- Roll dough ball in confectioners' sugar until completely covered and place on lined cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool to room temperature before serving.
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
How many cookies does the Gingerbread Crinkle Cookie recipe make
Look and sound delicious !!
Hi, Carol! I work with iambaker and am happy to help with questions. We made 18 cookies with this recipe. Have a great day!
I love your recipes.you are A wonderful baker
I look forward to making these for the holidays
What kind of molasses do you use for the Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies? There are several different kinds!
Hi, Kathy! I work with iambaker and am happy to help with questions. We used unsulphured molasses for this recipe. Sulphured molasses has added sulfur dioxide to the younger sugarcane, so that can alter the flavor of the recipe. There is also a variety of molasses called blackstrap. Do not substitute molasses in a recipe (including this one) for blackstrap unless the recipe is very specific about using it. I hope this helps, and have a great day!
These are in the oven as I type. 😍 They smell amazing but they do not have that dark gingerbread color like the picture. I think I followed the recipe exactly. Could it be that I used light brown sugar instead of dark? The recipe didn’t specify..
They will darken after baking! 🙂
Delicious! Never thought there would be a ginger bread crackle cookie! They made more than 18, and they took a long time to bake, though.
Made the gingerbread crinkle cookies, they were delicious. Easy to make,easier to eat.
So you use unsalted butter? Not sure if it’s obvious I’m not a baker.
I do but you can use salted too.
Dear Ma’am,
Love your recipes…