Description
These Seriously Soft Molasses Cookies are delightfully tender, bursting with warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, and sweetened with rich molasses. Perfectly chewy and soft, these cookies feature a crackly sugar-coated top and are ideal for holiday baking or cozy everyday treats.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 and 1/4 cups (281g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (80ml) unsulphured or dark molasses (do not use blackstrap; I prefer Grandma’s brand)
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For Rolling
- 1/3 cup (67g) granulated or coarse sugar, for rolling
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl until well combined. Set aside this aromatic spice mixture.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, use a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment to beat the softened butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar on high speed until creamy and fully combined, about 2 minutes.
- Add Molasses and Egg: Beat in the molasses until incorporated, then add the large egg and pure vanilla extract, continuing to beat until the mixture is smooth and combined, about 1 minute. Scrape the bowl sides and bottom as needed to ensure even mixing.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: On low speed, slowly add the dry spice and flour mixture to the wet ingredients until just combined. The cookie dough will be slightly sticky.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the dough tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, and up to 2–3 days for enhanced flavor and texture.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Heat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats, which prevents sticking and ensures even baking.
- Shape and Roll Cookies: Remove the chilled dough from the fridge. If chilled longer than 2 hours, allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to encourage spreading. Spoon out 1 tablespoon of dough per cookie and roll into balls. Then roll each ball in granulated or coarse sugar to coat evenly.
- Place and Bake: Arrange the sugar-coated dough balls 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 11–12 minutes, or until the cookie edges appear set.
- Encourage Cracks: If cookie tops do not crack as pictured, gently remove the baking sheet from the oven and firmly bang it on the counter 2–3 times to help the cookies spread and crack. Return to the oven for an additional 1 minute.
- Cool: Remove cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store: Keep cookies fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- For best results, use unsulphured or dark molasses, avoiding blackstrap molasses for a milder flavor.
- Allow dough to warm slightly if refrigerated over 2 hours to ensure the cookies spread properly while baking.
- Banging the baking sheet on the counter after initial baking helps create the signature cracked tops.
- Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, maintaining their softness perfectly.
- Using parchment paper or silicone mats greatly assists in even baking and easy cleanup.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 16g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
