Description
Grandma’s Irresistibly Soft Molasses Cookies are classic American treats known for their soft, chewy texture and rich spice flavors. Infused with ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and a touch of molasses, these cookies offer a warm and comforting taste perfect for holiday baking or any time you crave a nostalgic sweet. Easy to prepare and delightfully festive, these cookies remain soft with a slightly underbaked center and are rolled in sugar for a pleasant crunch.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup unsulphured molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Rolling
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Prepare Oven and Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. This blends all the spices and leavening agents evenly.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and packed brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which ensures a tender cookie texture.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the large egg, unsulphured molasses, and vanilla extract until fully combined, creating a flavorful, moist dough.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until everything is incorporated to avoid overworking the dough.
- Chill the Dough: Cover and chill the dough for 30 minutes; this firms it up for easier handling and helps cookies keep their shape during baking.
- Shape and Coat: Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll each into smooth balls. Then roll each ball in granulated sugar to form a sparkling coating.
- Arrange on Baking Sheets: Place the sugar-coated dough balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets to allow room for spreading.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until edges are set but centers remain soft and slightly underbaked to keep the cookies moist and chewy.
- Cool: Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely or to serve warm.
- Store: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, maintaining their softness and freshness.
Notes
- For extra chewy cookies, avoid overbaking and remove them when the centers look slightly underbaked.
- You can freeze dough balls and bake them straight from frozen; just add 1 to 2 minutes to the baking time to accommodate the frozen dough.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 140
- Sugar: 11g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
