Cinnamon Crinkle Cookies are a classic cookie with tender chewy centers and crisp edges. These cookies are made with a blend of cinnamon and nutmeg and are a Christmas classic.
These cookies are rolled in a cinnamon sugar mixture before being baked. It gives these cookies a nice crackled effect.
Your kitchen will smell like the holidays. Browse the full Christmas cookie collection.
This recipe is part of our Favorite Cookie Recipes collection, where we share cookies readers bake year-round.
Ingredients in Cinnamon Crinkle Cookies
- Unsalted butter
- Shortening
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Ground cinnamon
- Baking soda
- Cream of tartar
- Ground nutmeg
- Ground cloves
- Salt
How to Make Cinnamon Crinkle Cookies
Preheat the oven - Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Combine the wet ingredients - In a large bowl, combine the softened butter and the shortening until light and fluffy.
Beat in the egg and the vanilla extract until combined well.
Combine the dry ingredients - In a separate bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt.
Make the cookie dough - Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until a soft cookie dough forms.
Make the cinnamon sugar mixture - In a shallow container, mix together the granulated sugar and the cinnamon together to roll the cookies in.
Scoop the cookie dough - Using a #40 cookie scoop (1-inch cookie balls) scoop the dough and roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Bake - Place on the prepared cookie sheets 2 inches apart and bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until the tops are lightly browned.
Cool - Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
RELATED: Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies
How to Make Cookies Crinkle
To get beautiful crinkled cookies, roll them in granulated sugar. The granulated sugar will crisp in the oven before the cookies begin to bake and spread out on the cookie sheet.
It's a great tip to ensure that your cookies will crackle.
Can You Freeze Cinnamon Cookies?
Yes, you can freeze cinnamon cookies. This cookie dough can be frozen for up to 3 months when stored in an air-tight freeze-safe bag or container. Roll the cookies in the cinnamon sugar mixture before baking them to ensure that the sugar mixture has not fallen off the cookies while frozen.
These baked cinnamon crinkle cookies can be frozen as well. When baked, these cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. Freezing these cookies is a great way to bake cookies ahead of time for the holiday season.
📖 Recipe
Cinnamon Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter - softened
- ½ cup shortening
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup granulated sugar - for rolling
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon - for rollingPreheat the oven to 350ºF and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the softened butter and the shortening until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the granulated sugar as well as the brown sugar.
- Beat in the egg and the vanilla extract until combined well.
In a separate bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. - Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until a soft cookie dough forms.
- In a shallow container, mix together the granulated sugar and the cinnamon together to roll the cookies in.
- Using a #40 cookie scoop (1-inch cookie balls) scoop the dough and roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Place on the prepared cookie sheets 2 inches apart and bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until the tops are lightly browned.
- Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate based on third-party calculations. Actual values may vary due to ingredients, measurements, and serving sizes.
© Mama Needs Cake
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Dana is an experienced recipe creator who crafts easy and delicious recipes for all levels of home cooks.
Her recipes range from classic comfort foods to healthy and nutritious meals, and she is always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to bring flavor and variety to the table.
Recipe was good but instructions missing the incorporation of the 2 sugars.
Thank you so much Tammie! Great catch, I've updated to show the addition of the granulated sugar and brown sugar. 🙂
I made these and love them! So much flavor. Day after baking they are hard though, even though I sealed them in ziplocks. I put them in the micro to soften before eating but I'm wondering if I did something wrong or if they are a more crunchy cookie? Thanks for the recipe. They are a new favorite.
I always add a slice of bread into the bag and it softens them back up. 🙂 I'm glad you enjoyed them and I hope this helps.
Do we have to use shortening? I'm not a fan of shortening but I love cinnamon. What can I use instead of shortening? More butter or oil?
You can substitute the shortening with butter with a 1:1 ratio 🙂
great site thanks
My husband told me that these cookies are now his favorite ones I make. He says they are incredible. Thank you for the recipe.
Thank you for sharing that your husband loves these cookies. Enjoy! 🙂
Do you think its ok to make the dough ahead of time and refrigerate over night?
Salted or unsalted butter?