The Gingerbread Crinkle Cookie Recipe You’ll Keep Forever
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Some recipes never leave you. They move quietly from one kitchen to the next, tucked into a card box or scribbled in the margin of an old notebook. The handwriting might change, but the scent, the memory, the feeling, it all stays.
That’s what these gingerbread crinkle cookies are for me. The kind of cookie that reminds you of what matters, a warm oven, simple ingredients, and enough to share.
Every December, I pull out this recipe like a small tradition. It’s not fancy. No icing, no cutters, no stress. Just a soft, spiced cookie that tastes like it’s always belonged.
The Heart Behind the Recipe
This one’s been around for decades. My grandmother made it with Wesson oil, and I’ve kept the bones of it the same, only now I use avocado oil for a little modern balance. It still gives that same tender crumb, that same golden edge that cracks just right when you pull the cookies from the oven.
It’s the kind of recipe you don’t rush. The kind you mix with a spoon, not a stand mixer, because the stirring is part of it. The smell of ginger and molasses fills the kitchen, and before you know it, you’ve made something worth keeping.
CHRISTMAS COOKIE BAKING ESSENTIALS
Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies
Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies
Easy gingerbread crinkle cookies with deep molasses flavor and a soft, crackled finish. A holiday classic you’ll bake year after year.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a large bowl, stir together the oil and sugar until it looks sandy and blended.
- Add the egg and molasses, mixing until smooth and glossy.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger.
- Combine the dry and wet ingredients. Mix until the dough comes together. It should feel soft but not sticky.
- Scoop the dough into balls about 1½ inches wide.
- Roll each ball in the extra sugar until fully coated.
- Place them on an ungreased cookie sheet, about 3 inches apart.
- Bake for 9 minutes if you like them soft, or 15 minutes if you prefer crisp edges.
- They puff up in the oven, then fall into those perfect little crinkles as they cool.
Notes
- Tripling the recipe: I always do. These disappear fast, and they make a beautiful jar gift or cookie tin filler.
- Storage: Keep them in an airtight tin for up to a week. They stay soft and fragrant.
- Flavor tip: Use a dark molasses for deeper spice, or mild for something lighter and sweeter.
- There’s no glaze or extra step needed. The sugar-dipped tops sparkle just enough on their own!
Sharing and Gifting These Cookies
Some recipes feel made for sharing, and this is one of them. These gingerbread crinkle cookies travel well and stay soft, so they’re easy to tuck into jars or tins. Line them with parchment or wax paper, then tie a bit of ribbon or twine around the lid.
A handwritten tag makes the simplest gift feel thoughtful. You could write made with love or for a sweet moment today. It doesn’t need to be fancy, just personal.
Stack a few in a small bag for a neighbor, or add them to a holiday cookie box. Their sugar-dusted tops catch the light, and they always look more special than the effort it takes to make them.
They’re the kind of cookies people remember. Beautiful to look at, soft in the center, and full of warm gingerbread flavor.
Every family has a recipe that marks the season. Not because it’s perfect, but because it’s familiar. The kind you make even when life feels too full.
These gingerbread crinkle cookies have a way of settling you. The scent feels like exhale, the mix of molasses and spice, the quiet crackle of sugar as they cool.
Some recipes stay because they remind us that simple can still be beautiful.
Bake these once, and you’ll understand why they are a heirloom recipe!
This timeless gingerbread cookie recipe carries the warmth of generations, meant to be shared and remembered. Save it, bake it, and make it yours. Happy holiday baking! Hugs!
For more Christmas cookie recipes follow me on Pinterest!
Updated on: 11/15/2025
