Kris Krinkles (Christmas Crinkle Cookies)

Why This Recipe Works

• The double roll. Rolling the cookie dough in granulated sugar first ensures that the confectioners' sugar will stick and remain until the last cookie has been eaten.
• It's designed to bake up chewy and stay chewy. A blend of granulated and brown sugars balances cookie spread and thickness, with cream of tartar bringing softness to the dough. Cream of tartar is the classic ingredient that provides chew in snickerdoodle recipes (we love these orange ginger snickerdoodles).
• The flavor. These Christmas crinkle cookies taste similar to a chewy sugar cookie, but with the addition of almond extract to provide a bright flavor that makes them something special. This second extract (besides vanilla) can be substituted with any flavor you like.

Recipe Ingredients

• Granulated Sugar: Used in the cookie dough as well as a first roll coating.
• Brown Sugar: Used in the cookie dough to help encourage a chewy, denser texture. Brown sugar is more acidic than granulated sugar and will react with the baking soda.
• Butter: Ensure the butter is softened to room temperature so it most efficiently and effectively combines with the sugars in the creaming step.
• Extracts: In my testing an equal blend of vanilla and almond extracts provided optimal flavor. That said, you can replace the almond extract with the extract or bakery emulsion of your choice.
• Baking Soda: Make sure it's not expired or old as there's no baking powder in this recipe and we rely on it to work well!
• Cream of Tartar: Classically used in snickerdoodle cookies, cream of tartar prevents sugar crystals from hardening, which helps keep cookies soft and chewy. It also reacts with the baking soda to provide lift. You can find cream of tartar in the baking aisle near the baking powders and sodas.
• Food Coloring: Gel coloring is preferred over traditional liquid food dyes as you'll need less gel coloring to form a boldly colored cookie dough. Achieving a vibrant color with liquid dyes runs the risk of adding too much moisture to the dough, which can lead to sticky cookies that spread too far as they bake.
• Confectioners' Sugar: This is rolled on the cookies last to form the signature "crinkle" appearance. Roll a generous coating for the most pronounced sugary spots.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Cream butter and sugars - Beat softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed for 2 minutes until light and creamy.
2. Wet ingredients - Beat in the egg and extracts.
3. Dry ingredients - Whisk all dry ingredients together in a separate bowl, then add to the bowl with the wet ingredients.
4. Combine - Mix until just combined (no dry streaks remain).

5. Divide, dye, and chill - Divide the dough between two bowls and dye one green and one red. Cover bowls with plastic wrap and chill thoroughly, at minimum 3 hours and up to overnight.
6. Roll twice - Scoop cookies and roll into a ball. Roll each Christmas crinkle cookie in granulated sugar, then into confectioners' sugar. Place cookies at least a few inches apart from one another on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

7. Bake - Bake Kris Krinkles at 350°F for 11-12 minutes, or until the edges have set but aren't overly browned. The top surface may still appear soft but that's okay. Let cookies cool completely on a wire rack before storing or serving.

Tips and Tricks

• Flavor variations. Replace the almond extract with peppermint extract, orange extract, Fiori di Sicilia (a lovely citrus/vanilla combination), etc.
• Don't skip the double roll. The first roll in granulated sugar allows the powdered sugar to stick onto the surface for the long haul and not bake away or absorb into the cookies.
• Keep a close eye. The big appeal of Christmas crinkle cookies is the red and green coloring. You'll want to pull these cookies from the oven just before (or just as) the edges begin to turn golden.
• Feeling Grinch-y? A different seasonal twist would be to dye the whole dough green, and adorn each cookie with red heart sprinkle(s) for a Grinch themed cookie. You can also press a red candy heart into them when they're still warm right out of the oven.
• Make ahead. This dough can be chilled overnight, or can be wrapped in plastic wrap, sealed in an air-tight freezer bag, and frozen for up to several months. Thaw the dough in the refrigerator completely before rolling, coating, and baking.

Storage Instructions

Room Temperature: Once cooled, store these Christmas crinkle cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to one week. A small amount of the powdered sugar may transfer when they're handled, but nearly all of it should remain on the cookies. Place parchment paper (you can reuse the sheets from baking) between layers to keep all of the cookies looking in tip-top shape.

Freezer: Once the Kris Krinkles are cool, layer between parchment in an air-tight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Any longer and they can begin to take on a stale/freezer burnt flavor. Thaw at room temperature just prior to serving.

More Festive Christmas Cookies

Source: The base crinkle recipe was adapted from the Lemon Crinkles in the 1963 edition of Betty Crocker's Cooky Book.