Chewy Molasses Cookies

in
IMG_5554.jpeg

It was Christmas cookie time this past weekend. I took a few days off of work and got some good work done. I painted a wall that had been languishing with just primer on it for weeks, I did a little Christmas decorating, I spent time outdoors, I put new hooks on the wall in the entryway which means my coats won’t be constantly falling onto the floor, all good things. But the best part of the weekend was having time to enjoy baking and delivering Christmas cookie packages.

IMG_5547.jpeg

This molasses cookie recipe has been an absolute MUST every single year since I first made it back in 2013. It’s the only recipe that has appeared at Christmas every single year. Quite a feat! [check out this post from Jan 2014).

It is just the best. It’s buttery, sweet and salty, chewy and full of the perfect balance of spices. It’s always the cookie that takes people by surprise and makes them ask for the recipe. Since first making this recipe I’ve made a few minor changes. The blog I originally got it from had adapted it from this Bon Appetit recipe. After making it a few times I realized that it didn’t make sense how the blogger had changed it. She called for you to melt the butter and then beat it until “light and fluffy” which just doesn’t make sense, or work, with melted butter. So I went to the original recipe which made things much simpler, just melt the butter, add the rest of the wet ingredients, and then mix in the dry. Easy!

IMG_5562.jpeg

The original recipe calls for either light or dark molasses. I’ve made these with both and I much prefer the dark molasses. It adds more of a bitterness which contrasts well with the sweet sugary coating. I would recommend using dark molasses, but either will work.

The only other thing to notice is that the original recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, while the other blog called for 1/2 teaspoon of salt. So I’ve been using 1/2 teaspoon of regular/table salt for years which means the cookies are saltier than the original recipe likely intended. Is this a problem? Absolutely not. In fact, I think the extra bite of salt in these cookies is part of what makes them so good. I would not cut back on the salt, or substitute with kosher salt because I love them how they are!

——————————————————————————————

Molasses Cookies
Ingredients

  • 2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour

  • 2 teaspoons baking soda

  • 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger

  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

  • 1⁄2 teaspoon salt

  • 1 large egg

  • 1⁄2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

  • 1⁄3 cup granulated sugar

  • 1⁄3 cup robust-flavored (dark) molasses

  • 1⁄4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar

  • Coarse sanding or raw sugar (for rolling)

Directions
Place racks in lower and upper thirds of oven; preheat to 375°. Whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and salt in a small bowl. Whisk egg, butter, granulated sugar, molasses, and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Mix in dry ingredients just to combine.

Place sanding sugar in a shallow bowl. Scoop out dough by the tablespoonful and roll into balls (if dough is sticky, chill 20 minutes). Roll in sugar and place on 2 parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 2” apart.

Bake cookies, rotating baking sheets halfway through, until cookies are puffed, cracked, and just set around edges (overbaked cookies won’t be chewy), 8–10 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and let cool.