Molasses Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies

In the middle of all the holiday hustle, there’s something magical about slowing down for a cozy baking moment — the kind where the house fills with warm spices and everyone suddenly wanders into the kitchen asking, “What smells so good?” That was exactly the scene when I tested these Molasses Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies. Soft, chewy, and full of nostalgic ginger-molasses flavor, they disappeared faster than I expected. And the best part? Even the self-proclaimed “non-dessert people” in my home went back for seconds. If you’re looking for a cookie that delivers pure December comfort, this one absolutely deserves a spot on your holiday baking list.

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 2 tsp ground ginger

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• ¼ tsp ground cloves

• ½ tsp kosher salt

Wet Ingredients

• ¾ cup unsalted butter

• 1 cup light brown sugar

• 1 large egg

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• ¼ cup molasses

For Rolling

• Powdered sugar

• ¼ cup granulated sugar

• ½–1 tsp ground cinnamon or ground ginger (your choice)

Instructions

1. Melt and cool the butter
In a small bowl, melt the butter and cool it in the fridge for about 15 minutes.

2. Mix the dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, ground spices, and salt until well combined. Set aside.

3. Combine butter and sugar
In another bowl, whisk the melted and cooled butter with the light brown sugar until smooth and well combined.

4. Add egg, vanilla, and molasses
Whisk in the egg, vanilla extract, and molasses until creamy and well combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

5. Add dry ingredients
With a flexible spatula or spoon, mix in the dry ingredients until just combined.

6. Chill the dough
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.

7. Prep for baking
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) for 30 minutes.
Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Pour powdered sugar into a small shallow bowl.
In another shallow bowl, mix granulated sugar with ground cinnamon or ginger until well combined.

8. Scoop + coat
Using a small tablespoon-sized cookie scoop, scoop balls of dough.
Roll each ball first in the spiced sugar, then in the powdered sugar until fully coated.

9. Bake
Place the coated cookie dough balls on the baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are set.

10. Cool
Remove the cookie sheet to a cooling rack and let the cookies rest for 5 minutes.
Transfer cookies from the warm sheet to the rack to cool completely.

Final Thoughts

These Molasses Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies embody everything wonderful about holiday baking — warm spices, soft chewy centers, beautiful snowy crinkles, and that unmistakable “Christmas is coming” aroma that fills the whole house. They’re simple, festive, and almost guaranteed to disappear faster than expected… even among the “I don’t really eat sweets” crowd.

If you bake them, let me know how they turn out — and whether your cookie jar mysteriously empties too. 🎄🍪✨

Original recipe inspiration: Olives + Thyme (Molasses Crinkle Cookies)