Description
Homemade molasses spice cookies are super tender and perfectly spiced! Filled with the cozy flavors of molasses, ginger, and cinnamon, these soft and chewy molasses cookies with crackly tops are a holiday favorite. For best results, cover and chill the soft dough for 2 hours before baking. Cold cookie dough results in thicker cookies!
Ingredients
Cookies
- 2 1/4 cups (315 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp (8 g) baking soda
- 1 tsp (3 g) cornstarch
- 3/4 tsp (5 g) salt
- 2 1/2 tsp (5 g) ground ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp (3 g) cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp cloves
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 3/4 cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (80 g) unsulphured molasses, at room temperature
- 1 large egg (50 g)
- 1 tsp (4 g) vanilla extract
For Rolling
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
Glaze
- 1 Tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 tsp (4 g) vanilla extract
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp (30 g) milk
- coarse sparkling sugar, for topping
Instructions
- Make dough: Whisk together flour, baking soda, cornstarch, salt, and spices in a medium bowl. Beat butter and sugars in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until soft and creamy (about 2 minutes). Beat in molasses until combined. Beat in egg and vanilla until smooth. Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour mixture; beat just until incorporated.
- Chill dough: The dough will be soft – cover and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place granulated sugar in a shallow bowl. Use a cookie scoop coated with nonstick spray to form 1 1/2-inch balls of dough (approximately 26-28 grams each). Roll in granulated sugar to coat and place two inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator while preheating oven to 350°F.
- Bake cookies for 13 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, until cookies are puffed and crackly, with edges set. Let cookies cool for 10 minutes on baking sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make glaze: Whisk together melted butter, salt, vanilla, powdered sugar, and milk in a small bowl until smooth. Drizzle or spoon glaze over cookies and sprinkle with coarse sparkling sugar. Let set before serving.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
Molasses: I use and recommend Grandma’s Original Molasses.
Make Ahead: Roll the dough into balls and freeze on a baking sheet for 1 hour, then transfer to an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Just before baking, roll the cookie dough in granulated sugar and bake as directed, adding 1-2 minutes to baking time.