Description
Molasses cookies from Grandma’s kitchen bring warmth and nostalgia with each spiced, chewy bite. Richly flavored with deep caramel notes, these classic treats promise comfort and sweet memories you’ll savor with every delightful crumb.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 large egg
- 2 1/4 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (220 grams) brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) unsulfured molasses
Spices and Seasonings:
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Finishing Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup (66 grams) granulated sugar (for rolling)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Sift the dry components including flour, salt, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves into a medium mixing vessel, then set aside for later integration.
- Utilize an electric mixer to blend softened butter and brown sugar until the mixture transforms into a light, airy texture, approximately 2-3 minutes of continuous blending.
- Incorporate the egg, molasses, and vanilla extract into the butter mixture, whisking until the composition appears smooth and completely unified.
- Gradually fold the previously sifted dry ingredients into the wet mixture, using low-speed mixing to create a tender, cohesive dough without overworking the batter.
- Encase the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 60 minutes, allowing flavors to meld and preventing excessive spreading during baking.
- Warm the oven to 350°F and prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper for optimal cookie performance.
- Craft uniform dough balls approximately one tablespoon in size, rolling each sphere generously in granulated sugar and positioning them two inches apart on the prepared sheets.
- Slide the cookie-laden sheets into the preheated oven, baking for 8-10 minutes until edges appear set but centers remain slightly tender.
- Rest the freshly baked cookies on the baking sheet for five minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack, allowing them to reach complete structural stability before serving.
Notes
- Chilling the dough helps develop deeper, richer molasses flavor and prevents cookies from spreading too thin during baking.
- Rolling cookies in granulated sugar creates a delightful crackly exterior and adds a subtle sweet crunch that complements the warm spices.
- Slightly underbaking ensures ultra-soft, bakery-style texture that remains chewy and moist even after cooling completely.
- For gluten-free option, substitute all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend, maintaining the same measurements and baking instructions.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 70 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg