Chewy molasses spice cookies recipe

A perfectly balanced, sweet and crunchy cookie has the power to make you forget all about your resolve to stay away from carbs. Not all cookies possess this power, but these molasses spice cookies deliver. You'll see in the recipe more than the usual amount of powdered ginger plus cinnamon and nutmeg, warm spices that pair so well with molasses. Rolled in sugar before baking, the cookie stays soft on the inside while the outside crisps. It's an easy cookie to make; the hardest part is remembering to leave time for the butter to soften at room temperature. (You can let the sticks of butter sit out on the counter overnight, and then the dough comes together in minutes.) I used white whole wheat flour, my favorite way to sneak whole grains into my baking. The original recipe calls for all-purpose flour, so you can make it either way.

Chewy molasses spice cookies

From the pantry, you'll need: white whole wheat flour, baking soda, kosher salt, ground cinnamon, powdered ginger, nutmeg, unsalted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, molasses.

Adapted from a recipe by Kate Jennings, co-owner of Farmstead and La Laiterie, Providence, Rhode Island, as published in Edible Rhody magazine. Makes 36 2-inch cookies.

Ingredients

4 cups white whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp plus 1 tsp powdered ginger
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar, plus extra for rolling
1 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup molasses

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare 4 baking sheets by lining with a Silpat (silicone liner) or parchment paper, and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.

In the bowl of a Kitchenaid-type stand mixer fitted with the beater blade, cream together the butter and sugars. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until each is incorporated. Add the molasses, and mix thoroughly. Slowly add the dry ingredients, until thoroughly combined and the dough begins to come together.

Refrigerate the dough in the mixer bowl, covered with plastic wrap, for 1 hour.

Pour some granulated sugar into a small bowl. Use a small ice cream scoop with a release (called a disher) to portion out 1-inch balls of dough. Roll each ball in the sugar, place on the baking sheet, and press slightly. Set cookies 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet, 12 per sheet.

Bake at 350F for 11 minutes, until the cookies are firm around the edges but still slightly soft in the center. Remove the cookie sheets to a wire rack, and let the cookies cool on the sheet for 10 minutes before transfering them directly to the wire rack to cool completely.

Store cookies in an airtight tin for up to 3 days.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More cookies, because you can never have too many:
Spice snap cookies, from The Perfect Pantry
Gingersnap cookies, from Food Blogga
Low-sugar and whole wheat molasses-almond cookies, from Kalyn's Kitchen
Very ginger cookies, from Chocolate & Zucchini
Nonfat gingersnaps, from David Lebovitz

Chewy molasses spice cookies

From the pantry, you'll need: white whole wheat flour, baking soda, kosher salt, ground cinnamon, powdered ginger, nutmeg, unsalted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, molasses.

Adapted from a recipe by Kate Jennings, co-owner of Farmstead and La Laiterie, Providence, Rhode Island, as published in Edible Rhody magazine. Makes 36 2-inch cookies.

Ingredients

4 cups white whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp plus 1 tsp powdered ginger
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar, plus extra for rolling
1 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup molasses

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare 4 baking sheets by lining with a Silpat (silicone liner) or parchment paper, and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.

In the bowl of a Kitchenaid-type stand mixer fitted with the beater blade, cream together the butter and sugars. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until each is incorporated. Add the molasses, and mix thoroughly. Slowly add the dry ingredients, until thoroughly combined and the dough begins to come together.

Refrigerate the dough in the mixer bowl, covered with plastic wrap, for 1 hour.

Pour some granulated sugar into a small bowl. Use a small ice cream scoop with a release (called a disher) to portion out 1-inch balls of dough. Roll each ball in the sugar, place on the baking sheet, and press slightly. Set cookies 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet, 12 per sheet.

Bake at 350F for 11 minutes, until the cookies are firm around the edges but still slightly soft in the center. Remove the cookie sheets to a wire rack, and let the cookies cool on the sheet for 10 minutes before transfering them directly to the wire rack to cool completely.

Store cookies in an airtight tin for up to 3 days.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More cookies, because you can never have too many:
Spice snap cookies, from The Perfect Pantry
Gingersnap cookies, from Food Blogga
Low-sugar and whole wheat molasses-almond cookies, from Kalyn's Kitchen
Very ginger cookies, from Chocolate & Zucchini
Nonfat gingersnaps, from David Lebovitz

Comments

The flavor of molasses always takes me back to when I was living in the US. I remember one of neighbors would bake cakes/cookies with molasses and it always carried that wonderful distinct sweet and rich sugary flavor. I think Soeren will like these.

Meeta, if you csn't find any, let me. I'm happy to send you some!

Molasses spice cookies are some of my very faves! Yours look terrific, Lydia. :-) Will have to plan for a gf version in the future. I turned on my oven this morning to make flourless brownies and now the AC is running non stop. Summer! It was worth it though. ;-)

Shirley

Shirley, I'd love to see a gluten-free version of this recipe. I turned on my oven this morning, to make an egg casserole, and I'm not planning any more cooking today. Cold food only!

Ginger and molasses, what a great combination. I'm pretty sure I could not resist these.

Kalyn, sadly, I could not resist them, either!

these cookies bring Christmas memories to mind. Hubs loves gingersnaps and always asks for some around the holidays. Going to surprise him with these soon.

Roxana, yes, there is something about the aroma of ginger cookies that makes you feel like the holidays. These are great everyday cookies, and easy to make. Hope your husband enjoys them.

Love these! I know my dad would love them too! I will make them for his Birthday!

I have a fantastic recipe for Chewy Molasses Cookies and I am so tempted to try yours which add a little crunch. The warm flavor of these cookies make them especially wonderful in winter.

These look wonderful. Is it necessary to roll the cookies in sugar or can you skip this step? I'm looking to cut a bit of the sugar if it's not needed.

Nancy, it is not necessary. It just makes the cookies a bit crustier.

I love that these have a ton of spices in them.I'm going to give them a try. Thanks!

Shawn, what a nice birthday present these cookies will make!

Jamie, maybe there is something about the ginger, but I loved these cookies more than other spice cookies I've made.

Bridget, agreed! Ginger, cinnamon, I just love it.

Hi Lydia,

I was wondering how you were able to get your cookies to look like your pictures (with the cracked effect on top). I found when I made these cookies they looked too puffy and didn't have a chewy consistency

Natalie, I'm not a good enough baker to know what you would do differently. I always think it's the rolling in sugar, and making sure the dough is chilled, that helps them "crack". Maybe try making them smaller?