Description
Grandma’s irresistibly soft molasses cookies bring warm holiday memories to life with their rich, spicy sweetness. Hearty ingredients and classic baking techniques create a nostalgic treat that connects generations through delightful, comforting flavors you’ll cherish.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 ¼ cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup (60 milliliters) unsulfured molasses
- 1 large egg
Spices and Seasonings:
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Optional Coating:
- Granulated sugar (for rolling)
Instructions
- Prepare the oven environment by heating to 375F (190C) and lining baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats for optimal cookie performance.
- In a spacious mixing bowl, vigorously cream softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture achieves a light, airy consistency, approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Incorporate the egg and molasses into the butter-sugar mixture, blending thoroughly until a uniform texture emerges.
- Create a separate bowl for dry ingredients, meticulously whisking flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt to ensure even distribution of spices and leavening agents.
- Slowly integrate the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients, gently folding until a cohesive, soft dough forms without overmixing.
- Craft uniform cookie portions by scooping tablespoon-sized dough and rolling into smooth spheres, then generously coat each ball in granulated sugar for a sparkling exterior.
- Arrange sugar-coated dough balls on prepared baking sheets, positioning them with sufficient spacing to allow for potential spreading during baking.
- Place cookies in the preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, watching carefully to achieve set edges while maintaining a tender, soft center.
- Remove cookies from oven and allow them to rest on baking sheets for 5 minutes, enabling initial stabilization before transferring to a wire rack for complete cooling.
Notes
- Select room temperature ingredients for smoother mixing and better cookie texture.
- Use robust, high-quality molasses for deeper, richer flavor complexity.
- Roll cookies in coarse sugar for extra crunch and sparkling appearance.
- Chill dough for 30 minutes before baking to prevent excessive spreading and maintain cookie shape.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 60 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg