Description
These Easy Non-Alcohol Alternative Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies are soft, chewy, and full of warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Coated generously with powdered sugar, their signature crinkled appearance is perfect for holiday baking or whenever you’re craving a cozy treat. With a simple dough that requires chilling for optimal flavor and texture, these cookies deliver a delicious gingerbread flavor without any alcohol, making them family-friendly and easy to prepare.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups (270g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup (60ml) molasses
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Coating
- ½ cup (60g) powdered sugar
Instructions
- Whisk together the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Whisk thoroughly to distribute all spices evenly. Set this mixture aside.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened unsalted butter and packed brown sugar together on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure all ingredients are fully mixed.
- Incorporate wet ingredients: Lower the mixer speed and add in the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract. Beat until everything is completely blended and the batter turns smooth. Scrape the bowl again to incorporate any remaining bits.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until combined and no streaks of flour are visible. Avoid overmixing, as the dough will be soft and sticky.
- Chill dough: Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight (8 to 12 hours). Chilling allows flavors to deepen and helps prevent the cookies from spreading excessively during baking.
- Prepare for baking and coating: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Pour the powdered sugar into a shallow bowl ready for coating.
- Form and coat cookies: Using a small cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons), scoop portions of the chilled dough. Roll each portion between your palms to create a smooth ball, then roll each ball generously in the powdered sugar until completely coated. Place the coated dough balls approximately 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden while centers remain slightly soft. You will see distinct white crinkles forming on the cookie surface. If baking two sheets simultaneously, rotate them halfway through baking to ensure even heat distribution. Do not overbake to keep the texture soft and chewy.
- Cool: Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the cookies cool on the sheets for about 5 minutes to firm up. Then, transfer the cookies carefully to a wire rack to cool completely. Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
- Chilling the dough is essential for flavor development and to prevent cookies from spreading too much while baking.
- Use parchment paper or silicone mats on baking sheets to avoid sticking and ensure even baking.
- Be careful not to overbake; cookies should have soft centers for the best chewy texture.
- The powdered sugar coating creates the signature crinkle effect during baking—do not skip this step.
- This recipe makes about 30 medium-sized cookies; adjust scoop size accordingly.
- Store cookies in an airtight container to maintain freshness for up to one week.
