Large gingerbread crinkle cookies with a snowy powdered-sugar crust, deep cracks and soft molasses-spice centers.
Cover the entire ball in confectioners sugar; a thin dusting can disappear into the dough.
Coating nutrition includes the full measured sugar allowance, though some remains in the bowl. Extra chilling adds time. Powdered sugar provides the contrasting white cracks.
Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies
Per tray: 15–18 minutes · 2 trays, about 7–8 cookies each, baked one at a time
Allow 139 minutes: 20 hands-on, 60 chilling, 34 for all baking trays, 25 cooling. Cooling includes the pan rest. Optional decoration, ingredient warm-up and extra trays add time.
Kitchen tools you’ll need
- US cups and measuring spoons; digital scale
- Mixing bowl and flexible spatula
- 2-tablespoon cookie scoop
- Two 13 × 18-inch pans and parchment
- Small bowl for sugar coating
Large gingerbread crinkle cookies with a snowy powdered-sugar crust, deep cracks and soft molasses-spice centers.
Ingredients
Scale ingredients and US equivalents, including eggs. Keep cookie size, thickness, oven temperature and baking time per tray unchanged. More trays add time; weigh beaten egg for fractional batches.
Cookie dough
Dough spices
Coating
Instructions
Mix
- Make the spice blendMix 1/2 tsp each ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice with 1/4 tsp ground cloves. Measure 1 1/2 tsp for the dough and reserve the remaining 3/4 tsp for coating. This combined blend avoids weighing tiny spice amounts.
- Stir the doughStir brown sugar, lukewarm melted butter, molasses, vanilla and salt until smooth. Stir in the egg. Whisk flour, baking powder, soda and the dough spice portion separately, then stir into the wet mixture until no dry pockets remain.
Chill
- Firm before coatingCover and refrigerate 1 hour until firm enough to scoop; very warm dough may need up to 2 hours.
Shape
- Coat generouslyHeat to 350°F (175°C) conventional; for fan reduce about 25°F and check early. Line pans. Mix confectioners sugar with the reserved spice. Scoop about 40 g per ball using a level 2-tablespoon scoop. Roll generously in spiced sugar and space 3 inches apart.
Bake
- Develop the cracksBake one tray at a time for 15–18 minutes, until puffed, cracked and set in the center with firm edges. Keep the remaining dough cold. Use a cool pan for the next tray.
Cool
- Keep the coating intactCool completely on the pans, about 25 minutes, before lifting. The coating is delicate and absorbs moisture if sealed while warm.
Chef’s Science & Pro Tips
Chill the dough
A cool, firm ball keeps its shape long enough for the white coating to crack as it rises.
Generous coating
Cover the entire ball in confectioners sugar; a thin dusting can disappear into the dough.
Keep them dry
Cool fully before storing. Condensation softens the sugar coating, so freezing finished cookies is not recommended.
Storage & Make-Ahead
| Method | How long | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | 3 days | Keep fully cooled cookies airtight in a dry place. |
| Refrigeration | Not recommended for baked cookies | Cold storage and condensation spoil the dry sugar crust; refrigerate raw dough up to 2 days. |
| Raw freezing | Up to 2 months | Freeze uncoated portions airtight. Thaw covered in the refrigerator, then coat and bake as directed. |
| Cooked freezing | Not recommended | The powdered coating absorbs condensation during thawing. |
| Restoration | Serve at room temperature | Do not microwave coated cookies; the sugar finish can become sticky. |
Notes
- Coating nutrition includes the full measured sugar allowance, though some remains in the bowl. Extra chilling adds time. Powdered sugar provides the contrasting white cracks.
Nutrition
Estimated per stated serving from generic ingredient weights and yield. Includes listed icing, fillings, candy and toppings; excludes optional extras. Prepared icing is modeled as sugar-based cookie icing. Brands, coating left over, cutter sizes and yield change the estimate.
RECIPE REVIEWEDGINGERBREADGINGERBREAD COOKIES
Frequently Asked Questions
A few helpful answers before you bake.
Why did the white coating disappear?
Use fully chilled dough and a generous coating. Warm dough and a very light dusting absorb sugar more quickly.
Do these need a mixer?
No. A spatula is enough; cool the melted butter before adding the egg.
Can I freeze them?
Freeze uncoated dough portions rather than finished cookies so the sugar coating stays dry.
Follow The Cookie Index on Pinterest
Share a little gingerbread joy
Send this recipe to someone who loves to bake.
