Description
These soft and chewy molasses cookies are a warm embrace of ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, perfect for cozying up during the cooler months. With their signature crinkled tops and a sparkling sugar coating, they bring a touch of Southern tradition to any dessert platter.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Ground ginger
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground cloves
- Ground nutmeg
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Brown sugar
- Granulated sugar (plus extra for rolling)
- Dark molasses
- Large egg
- Pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in a medium bowl until the color is uniform.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with the brown and granulated sugars on high speed for about two minutes until pale and fluffy.
- Beat in the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
- Turn the mixer to low and slowly add the dry ingredients, mixing just until no white streaks remain.
- Cover the dough tightly and refrigerate for at least one hour to firm up.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop a tablespoon of dough at a time, roll into balls, and coat thoroughly in granulated sugar.
- Place balls three inches apart on the sheets and bake for 11 to 12 minutes, tapping the pan on the counter if they haven’t cracked.
- Let the cookies rest on the pan for five minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
To ensure the perfect crackle, try not to overbake the cookies; they should still look slightly soft in the center when you pull them out. For a deeper, more robust flavor, using dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar adds an extra layer of moisture and caramel notes.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 mins
- Cook Time: 12 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American