Ginger Crinkle Cookies - Easy Cake Mix Recipe! - Chenée Today (2024)

by Chenée Lewis

Best old fashioned ginger crinkle cookies recipe! These chewy ginger crackles are the best soft ginger cookies! And we’re making these gingerbread crinkle cookies with cake mix!

If you like this spicy ginger crinkle cookies recipe, try my Brownie Mix Cookies with White Chocolate, Cherries and Pistachios, my Oatmeal Cranberry Pecan Cookies, or my Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies with Cinnamon Sugar!

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Spicy Ginger Crinkle Cookies Recipe

These cookies have all the flavors you expect from classic soft ginger cookies -- molasses, ginger, and other spices, all coated in a lovely crinkle layer of powdered sugar.

But that's not the best part! These cookies are SO easy because they're made with cake mix! Yes, just like my Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies or my Lemon Blueberry Cookies, the base for this old fashioned ginger crinkle cookies recipe is a boxed cake mix! So when you don't have the time to make traditional German Lebkucken from scratch, you're in luck!

What causes cookies to crinkle?

The question is: Why do gingerbread cookies crack? Well, the crinkle comes from the outside of the cookie setting and hardening in the oven before the inside. So as the inside of the cookie bakes and expands, it creates cracks and separations in the outside of the cookie.

This process is furthered by the addition of powdered sugar before baking. Powdered sugar draws out some of the moisture from the outer layer of the cookie, emphasizing the crinkle effect even more! That's how we get those beautiful crinkly tops on these molasses ginger crinkle cookies!

If you want to try another delicious cookie recipe, try these ube crinkles, my Chocolate Filled Cookies, or my Coconut Pecan Cookies!

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What are ginger cookies made of?

  • spice cake mix - to make this recipe super easy, we'll make our gingerbread crinkle cookies with cake mix! I used a 15.25-oz Betty Crocker Spice Cake Mix. We'll just be using the dry mix, not a prepared cake batter.
  • all-purpose flour - we're adding some flour to thicken up the batter a bit.
  • vegetable oil - the secret to moist ginger crinkle cookies! Oil keeps these cookies soft and chewy.
  • eggs - give a little lift and richness to our cookies.
  • molasses - you'll need unsulphured molasses for this old fashioned ginger crinkle cookies recipe -- I used Grandma's Original Molasses.
  • cinnamon and ginger - we're boosting the spice flavors a bit to give these cookies the classic, spicy gingerbread flavor!
  • powdered sugar - we'll coat our ginger molasses crinkle cookies with powdered sugar before they bake to create that stunning crinkle effect!

Equipment

This is a one-bowl and wooden spoon recipe! You don't need an electric mixer, or even a whisk! These ginger crinkle cookies come together so easily so it's the perfect low-key holiday cookie for beginners! Here are a few more tools you might need:

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Why don't my ginger cookies crackle on the top?

The most likely reason for your cookies not crackling is that your oven isn't hot enough. You can use an oven thermometer to check the accuracy of your oven temperature and make sure it's fully hot before baking your chewy ginger crackles!

Why are my crinkle cookies flat?

There could be a couple of reasons for flat ginger crinkle cookies. First, your dough may not have been sufficiently chilled. Make sure you chill the dough for at least an hour before scooping.

Also, you may have not added enough flour -- I recommend using a kitchen scale to measure your flour to make sure that that the measurement is accurate.

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Molasses Ginger Crinkle Cookies Tips and F.A.Q.

Fully chill your dough before shaping.

The cold dough will help you form round cookie balls, and will keep the powdered sugar from melting into the dough. I'd recommend chilling your dough at least 1 hour.

Press cookie dough balls firmly into powdered sugar.

The method I use is to roll the dough ball into the sugar, pressing down firmly to allow the sugar to stick. This is better than simply tossing the dough with the sugar. Then you can allow the excess sugar to fall off before you place the dough ball on your baking sheet, so that you don't end up with clumps of powdered sugar on your finished cookies.

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Use the right kind of molasses!

This is so important. Molasses can vary in sweetness, consistency, and ingredients. For this recipe you need mild unsulphured molasses. Unsulphured molasses is sweeter and doesn't contain preservatives, and comes in mild, dark, and blackstrap varieties. I prefer mild unsulphured molasses for baking because it offers less bitterness, so for this recipe I recommend Grandma's Original Molasses or something similar.

Should gingerbread cookies be crunchy?

These molasses ginger crinkle cookies should be soft and chewy!

How do I store these gingerbread crinkle cookies?

You can keep these in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature, or freeze them for up to 2 months!

If you try this recipe,I would love it if you couldleave a star review rating and comment below! It’s so wonderful hearing your feedback! And don’t forget to share your creations with me by tagging@chenee_today on Instagram!

More Christmas Cookie Recipes You'll Love

  • Peppermint White Chocolate Sugar Cookies
  • No Chill Gingerbread Cookies with Stout and Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
  • No Spread Sugar Cookies
  • Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies with Cinnamon Sugar
  • Lemon Curd Cookies
  • Cranberry White Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

📖 Recipe

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Ginger Crinkle Cookies

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Best ginger crinkle cookies recipe! These chewy ginger crackles are the best soft ginger cookies! And we’re making these gingerbread crinkle cookies with cake mix!

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 14 minutes minutes

Total Time: 24 minutes minutes

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine :American

Servings: 36 cookies

Calories: 83kcal

Recipe Source: Chenée Lewis

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking liner.

  • Mix together all ingredients other than powdered sugar in a large bowl with a mixing spoon, until fully combined.

    ⅓ cup unsulphured molasses, 2 teaspoon ground ginger, 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 15.25-oz spice cake mix, ¼ cup all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup vegetable oil, 2 large eggs

  • Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

  • Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Roll into powdered sugar, pressing down to get the powdere sugar to stick to all sides of the dough ball.

    1 cup powdered sugar

  • Place dough balls 2 inches apart on baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.

  • Allow to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Video

Notes

Molasses type:Molasses can vary in sweetness, consistency, and ingredients. For this recipe you need mild unsulphured molasses. Unsulphured molasses is sweeter and doesn't contain preservatives, and comes in mild, dark, and blackstrap varieties. I prefer mild unsulphured molasses for this recipe because it offers less bitterness, and we're not adding sugar. So for this recipe I recommend Grandma's Original Molasses or something similar.

Storage and Freezing:You can keep these in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature, or freeze them for up to 2 months!

Nutrition

Serving: 1 cookie | Calories: 83 kcal | Carbohydrates: 16 g | Protein: 1 g | Fat: 3 g | Saturated Fat: 1 g | Cholesterol: 10 mg | Sodium: 94 mg | Potassium: 57 mg | Sugar: 10 g | Calcium: 31 mg

Nutrition Disclaimer

Did you try this recipe? Rate it below!I can't wait to see (and share) your results! Follow me on Instagram at @chenee_today and tag #cheneetoday!

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Last Updated on March 26, 2024 by Chenée Lewis

Ginger Crinkle Cookies - Easy Cake Mix Recipe! - Chenée Today (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between gingerbread cookies and ginger cookies? ›

Introduced in colonial times, the main differences between Gingerbread and Ginger Snaps are a longer bake time for an extra crisp and the use of molasses versus sugar. Molasses was used as substitute for sugar as it was the more affordable alternative to sweetening.

Why are my gingerbread cookies puffy? ›

Q: Why are my cookies so puffy and cakey? Whipping too much air into the dough. That fluffy texture you want in a cake results from beating a lot of air into the room temperature butter and sugar, and it does the same for cookies. So don't overdo it when you're creaming together the butter and sugar.

How long do ginger cookies last? ›

How Long do Gingerbread Cookies Last. After you have baked your gingerbread cookies and they are decorated perfectly, they will last for 4-6 weeks. Gingerbread is a fairly dry type of cookie which extends it's shelf life. Less moisture means the cookies will be more resistant to mold.

How do you make store bought cookie mix softer? ›

Add brown sugar

Adding it to the pre-made dough will give it more sweetness, a chewier texture, moisture and that homemade flavor you're craving. You can also melt butter with brown sugar and incorporate it into the dough for extra tender, chewier cookies.

How to soften hard store bought cookies? ›

Be careful not to overdo it, as the cookies can become too soft or lose their texture. How to Soften Cookies in the Oven: Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Wrap the stale cookies in aluminum foil and place them on a baking sheet. Heat them in the oven for about 5-10 minutes.

Why are my ginger cookies so hard? ›

“There are some gingerbread recipes that are hard right after baking and need to sit for a few days to soften. Molasses and honey hardens gingerbread, but as the sugar absorbs moisture, it will get softer.”

What is going on with Nabisco ginger snaps? ›

In announcing the settlement with the maker of Oreo and Chips Ahoy cookies, California Attorney General Kamala Harris on Friday said testing revealed that a serving of the ginger snaps contained lead levels up to nine times the threshold requiring a warning under California's Proposition 65.

What is another name for ginger cookies? ›

Gingerbread is often used to translate the French term pain d'épices ( lit. 'spice bread') or the German and Polish terms Pfefferkuchen and Piernik respectively ( lit.

Why are my crinkle cookies not crinkling? ›

The signature crinkle effect happens when the cookies spread and crack as they bake. If your cookies aren't crinkling, it might be because the dough is too warm (try chilling it for longer before baking), or the oven temperature might be too low (ensure your oven is correctly preheated).

How to get crinkle top on cookies? ›

While we found that multiple factors can affect how quickly the top dries out and thus how many cracks are formed (including the temperature of the dough and how rapidly it spreads in the oven), a simple tweak turned out to be key to producing a maximum number of fissures: rolling the balls of dough in granulated sugar ...

Why don't my ginger cookies crackle on the top? ›

Not enough leavening (it needs to be strong enough to crack the top once it's set) Using a single-acting baking powder (double acting gives extra rise when it gets heated) Not creaming the fat long enough (creaming cuts little air pockets into the fat, which means the leavening has to do less work)

Can you eat old gingerbread cookies? ›

The general rule of thumb is a couple of weeks. It depends how its prepared and if you used a lot of icing. Also, gingerbread like any other bread turns stale quite fast. Eating it after 1–2 week with tea shouldn't be a problem.

Why are my ginger cookies flat? ›

If you use too much butter, the cookies will end up flat and greasy. And if you use too little flour, the amount of butter and sugar will be proportionally too high, meaning the cookies will spread for the aforementioned reasons.

Can you freeze homemade ginger cookies? ›

Shortbread, biscotti, gingerbread, and drop cookies like chocolate chip or oatmeal are all examples of sturdy cookies that hold up well once frozen. "They can stand up to the cold temperatures and won't be damaged when you mindlessly rummage through your freezer," says Jason Schreiber, baker and cookbook author.

How to make gingerbread soft after baking? ›

If you've already baked your gingerbread though and it's harder than you'd like, you CAN make it a little softer for eating. I wrap mine in a damp paper towel and heat in the microwave for a few seconds.

How do you heat up cookies to make them soft? ›

Steam: This method is great for single cookies that may have gotten a little hard. The steam from the paper towel will help to soften and warm the cookies in seconds. All you have to do is wrap the cookies in a damp paper towel and microwave them for 10-15 seconds. Voila!

Do gingerbread cookies harden when they cool? ›

Gingerbread Cookies are done when they are set and begin to brown slightly at the edges. They will harden further as they cool, so avoid overbaking so you don't end up with hard, crunchy gingerbread!

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