Description
These Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies combine the warm spices of ginger and molasses with a tender, chewy texture. Easy to make with a spice cake mix base, these cookies are rolled in powdered sugar to create a classic crinkle effect. Perfect for holiday baking or anytime you want a festive, flavorful treat that’s quick to prepare and bake.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 box spice cake mix (15.25 ounces)
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar (for coating)
Wet Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons molasses
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. This preparation prevents sticking and helps the cookies bake evenly.
- Mix Dough: In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the spice cake mix, eggs, molasses, vegetable oil, ground ginger, and vanilla extract. Mix until all ingredients are thoroughly blended into a sticky dough.
- Coat Dough Balls: Pour the powdered sugar into a separate medium bowl. Using a medium cookie scoop (about 1 ½ tablespoons) or two spoons, scoop portions of dough and drop them into the powdered sugar. Roll gently between your palms to coat and form smooth dough balls, ensuring they are well coated with sugar.
- Arrange on Baking Sheet: Place the coated dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about two inches apart to allow room for spreading during baking.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 7 to 9 minutes. The bottoms will be set, but the centers might look slightly undercooked — this ensures a soft, chewy texture.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps them firm up without breaking.
Notes
- Using a spice cake mix simplifies the recipe and adds a delicious blend of spices beyond just ginger.
- Molasses gives the cookies their classic gingerbread flavor; don’t substitute as it alters the taste significantly.
- The dough will be sticky, so coating in powdered sugar helps make handling easier.
- For crispier edges, bake closer to 9 minutes; for softer centers, stick closer to 7 minutes.
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
