Old-Fashioned Molasses Crinkle Cookies
These cookies rely on the deep, bitter sweetness of unsulphured molasses and a heavy hand with ground spices to create a chewy center and a crisp, crackled exterior. The secret is pulling them from the oven while they still look slightly underdone, ensuring they settle into a dense, soft texture once cooled.
Mind the temperature of your fat
Ensure the butter is soft enough to yield to a thumb press but not greasy or melted, which prevents the cookies from spreading too thin.
- Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
- Large mixing bowl
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Wire cooling rack
What goes in.
- 3/4 cupunsalted butter, softened
- 1 cupgranulated sugar
- 1/4 cupunsulphured molasses
- 1large egg
- 2 1/4 cupsall-purpose flour
- 2 tspbaking soda
- 1 1/2 tspground ginger
- 1 tspground cinnamon
- 1/2 tspground cloves
- 1/4 tspfine sea salt
- 1/2 cupextra granulated sugar (for rolling)
Rolling in dry sugar
Rolling the dough balls in granulated sugar immediately before baking pulls moisture to the surface and creates the characteristic shattered, crystalline crust.
The method.
Cream the base
Beat the butter and 1 cup of sugar in a bowl until the mixture is pale and light. Add the molasses and egg, beating until fully incorporated and smooth.
Combine dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Gradually stir this into the wet mixture until no dry streaks remain.
Chill the dough
Cover the dough and place it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This firms up the butter and makes the dough manageable.
Shape and roll
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls, then roll each ball thoroughly in the extra sugar until coated.
Bake
Space them 2 inches apart on parchment-lined sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove them when the edges are set but the centers still look soft.
Cool
Let the cookies rest on the hot baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to firm up completely.
Other turns to take.
Peppery Heat
Add 1/4 teaspoon of finely ground black pepper to the dry ingredients for a sharp, lingering finish.
Glazed
Whisk 1/2 cup powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon of milk and drizzle over the cooled cookies.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Use a light-colored baking sheet to prevent the bottoms from darkening too quickly.
Do not over-bake; these cookies harden rapidly if left in the heat too long.
Store in an airtight container with a slice of white bread to keep them soft for several days.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use blackstrap molasses?
Blackstrap is much more bitter and less sweet than standard unsulphured molasses; it will drastically change the balance of the cookie.
Why did my cookies spread into one giant flat sheet?
The butter was likely too warm or the oven temperature is inaccurate. Chilling the dough sufficiently is the best insurance against this.